Saffron Siskin

A rotund, earthen-toned ground-dweller, usually hidden deep in the undergrowth of dense forests, often in damp areas near rivers and streams. Very shy, rarely venturing out into the open, though can sometimes be seen on the sides of trails in the early morning. Male has a bright sky-blue crown and nape, tea-green wings, and an ochre-brown belly. Females have a brownish head and are a browner-toned shade of green on the wings. Song is far-carrying and simple: a loud, piercing “pee-ya!”

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.

Rare hummingbird of cloud forest on the east slope of the Andes. Male is mostly green with darker throat and white tips to the inner tail feathers that combine to form a round spot. On female, note green scaling on white underparts, white mustache stripe, white tail corners, and buff tinge on vent (but not on thighs). Female very similar to female Booted Racket-tail but is more heavily scaled on throat and has white thighs. Typically found at forest edge or in clearings, feeding at any height, and occasionally visits feeders.