Long-billed Honeyeater

A shy, medium-sized ground bird of montane forest. Velvety black plumage with long legs, a fairly short tail and a bulbous head. Eye color is red in male and brown in female. Hops around looking for food. Somewhat similar to Blue-gray and Smoky Robins, but Lesser Melampitta is larger and black rather than gray. More often heard than seen. Call, a rather unbirdlike “klik!” or “puk-klik!”.

Large white ibis with fluffy black feathers across the rump and a black head. A good view reveals a pale eye in adults. Immatures can have a dark eye and white on the throat. In flight, the wings are completely white. Rare and local resident of western Madagascar and Aldabra, in the Seychelles. Found on coastal mudflats and sandy shores, in mangroves, and on the banks of brackish rivers, ponds, and lakes. Rarely uses freshwater habitats. Very similar to African Sacred Ibis, but separated at all ages by the lack of black wingtips in flight. Adults further separated by their pale eye.

Chunk brown mid-sized owl. Has a big, round head without ear tufts, heavy barring below, and white crescents on the face. Varies geographically from being dark brown to pale rufous-brown. Found in thick woodland, forest, gardens, and plantations. Male gives a long, rising “hu-wuuuuu” call, and both sexes give a gruff up-and-down series (“hu-ho-hu-ho-ho-ho”), often in duet. Larger than owlets, and lacks the ear tufts of eagle-owls.