Montserrat Oriole

Endangered seabird that nests only in Galápagos. Outside the breeding season, it disperses over the eastern Pacific and usually stays far from land. Note distinctive black-and-white pattern on underwing, mostly white underparts, and dark upperparts that extend down through its face to sides of neck; no other seabird found in and near Galápagos shares these features. When seen from above, it appears all dark except for some white around the base of the bill. Almost always encountered at sea, since it travels to and from its highland nesting sites only at night.

Small, dark, crested tit of montane and hilly coniferous forests. Lack of white on the wings (except for large cheek patch) and erect crest separate it from Coal Tit. The namesake rufous nape patch is small and fairly difficult to see. Rufous-vented Tit is extremely similar in appearance, and the two species overlap in the central and western Himalayas, but note present species’ much more extensive black breast. An occasional member of mixed-species flocks in the winter. Calls variable, include a cheery “pi-chew, pi-chew”, bright “chewee, chewee”, and high-pitched, squeaky “cheee”s and “seee”s. Song typically consists of several high-pitched whistles, followed by buzzes, trills, or descending notes.

A dark turtle-dove with typical scaly rufous-pink edging to the wings and black patches on the sides of the neck. The face is pale silvery-gray and the belly and flanks are pinkish-mauve. Female and juvenile are paler than the male. Uncommon to common in pairs and small groups in rocky broadleaf woodland, preferring riverine areas. Song is a 3-note “cuuuoor-cuuuuoor-cuuu.” The slightly smaller European Turtle-Dove occurs alongside Adamawa as a migrant between September and March, but has whitish lines within the black neck patches, a pinkish (not gray) breast, and a paler belly.