Moorland Francolin

Medium-sized shorebird. Gray above and white below, with fine white speckling on wings and bold white spectacles. Note dark underwing and dark rump in flight. Smaller and shorter-legged than Lesser Yellowlegs, with duller greenish legs. Often alone, but multiple individuals may gather loosely in appropriate habitat. Tips body like Spotted Sandpiper, but less constantly and not as quick and dramatic. Breeds around ponds and marshes in the boreal forest; uses old songbird nests in trees, unlike most other shorebirds. In migration and winter, mostly seen on small bodies of water like muddy ponds, lake edges, and slow-moving streams. Extensive winter range throughout Central and South America. Listen for piercing, high-pitched “tsee-weet!” call.

The black-and-white magpie of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. Best identified by range, but overlaps in the far eastern and southern parts of its range with Oriental Magpie; look for Black-rumped’s reduced gloss in plumage and stouter bill. Gives various chattering notes which average hoarser than those of Oriental Magpie. Found in farmland and other semi-open areas, as well as parks and towns.

Medium-sized wader with a long, slightly downcurved bill. Slightly larger than Dunlin, with longer and finer bill, longer legs. In flight note large white rump patch. Breeding plumage deep rusty on head and body (like Red Knot). Non-breeding birds are grayish-brown above with white eyebrows and belly. Juvenile is grayish above with neat scaly feather edgings, whitish below with variable buffy wash on breast. Breeds in Russian tundra and winters in Africa, Australia, and South and Southeast Asia. Mainly in coastal wetland habitats, often with flocks of Dunlin.