Azure-naped Jay

Small, plump seabird of marine habitats, closer to shore during breeding season, in open waters otherwise; occasionally visits inlets and harbors, especially in late winter and spring. Similar to thinner-billed Ancient Murrelet, both being gray above, white below, darker flight feathers and white underwing coverts. In nonbreeding plumage, Japanese has white throat and lores, white stippling in crown; in breeding plumage, white plumes in crest much broader than Ancient. Sharp “chi-chi-chi” call recalls buntings’ flight calls.

Small finch-like bird restricted to the lowlands of western Ecuador, northwestern Peru, and extreme southwestern Colombia. Male is glossy-black with fiery red underparts and crown. Female is tan with a buffy-tinged breast; she is similar to some female seedeaters, but has a more slender bill. Typically found alone or in pairs in forest understory, tangled scrub, and overgrown clearings.

Unique smoky-gray gull with red bill. Breeding adults have a clean white head that blends seamlessly into the gray neck; nonbreeding adults have smudgy dark streaking on the head. Immatures are entirely dark brown with a yellowish or reddish bill with a dark tip. Almost exclusively coastal; usually seen in flocks loafing on beaches or feeding in nearshore waters. Breeds in Mexico mainly in the Gulf of California; migrates as far north as Washington and British Columbia in winter. Overall dark plumage of immatures might recall a dark-morph jaeger; note Heermann's lacks pale wing flashes and never shows pale mottling on the belly or underwings.