Abdim's Stork

An eye-catching white starling with black tips to the tail and wings, bare blue facial skin, and long plumes that hang down the nape. Juvenile is shorter-crested than adult, with yellow wash. Found in small groups in open forest, where it spends time in the trees and foraging on the ground. Avoids dense forest. Restricted to northwest Bali. Differs from Black-winged Starling in having the black on the wings confined to tips, and in showing blue facial skin. Song is an untidy jumble of scratchy, chattering notes and whistles.

Plump chickenlike bird found on the ground inside montane forest from extreme western Venezuela to extreme northern Peru. Dark brownish overall with a paler throat, messy vermiculation on the upperparts and flanks, and a warm tawny belly. Occurs from around 1,500m-3,200m, within forest. Very rarely seen. Listen for its song, a series of repeated querulous notes.

Breeding males are beautiful and distinctive with rich reddish-brown head, buffy forehead, pearly gray body, and pinkish breast. Look for large white wing patches in flight. Females are plainer warm brown overall, with a small pale bill. Very difficult to distinguish from female American Wigeon; note warmer brown head on Eurasian with little contrast between head, breast, and sides. Also look for dirty grayish, not bright white, underwings in flight, but this can be difficult to judge, especially at a distance. Widespread and common in Eurasia, breeding at northern latitudes and wintering south to central Africa and Southeast Asia. Typically in flocks on lakes and wetlands, often grazing in nearby fields. Regular winter visitor to North America, especially on the west coast, usually in very small numbers among flocks of American Wigeon.