Black-backed Cisticola

Fairly large tanager found in open habitats in lowlands and foothills below 1,500 m. Male is all black with contrasting rump varying from lemon yellow to red. Female is dark blackish-brown above and yellow below, sometimes with an orange breast band. She also has a contrasting rump varying from lemon yellow to red. On both sexes, note stout silver bill with dark tip. Common and conspicuous in clearings, gardens, shrubby areas, and second growth, usually in pairs or small groups.

Beautiful pipit that is pink below and streaked brown above. The male has a bold black chest band and streaking, while the female is not as heavily marked. Found in wet grasslands, where it is generally shy and inconspicuous. Vocalizations include a two-part “dhew-dhew” call that is sometimes quickly repeated or extended into a long whistle. Separated from other longclaws by its pink underparts.

Thickset, short-winged, pot-bellied gull. Adult has dark gray back and wings, intense pink legs, and an especially large white “crescent” (white tertial edges) near the wingtips when perched. Breeding adult white-headed; nonbreeding birds have variably heavy brown streaking on the head and upper breast. Takes four years for immatures to progress from mostly brown to fully white and gray adult plumage; intermediate plumages are often mottled and messy. Often looks rather frosty by the first winter; starts to develop a gray back and whitish eye in its second year. Primarily an Asian species, found in coastal regions from Japan and South Korea to Russia. Regularly occurs in western Alaska, but very rare elsewhere in North America.