Palm Lorikeet

Handsome, mostly silvery gray bird of tropical lowland forest and adjacent semi-open areas with taller trees. Usually found at mid-upper levels of fruiting trees, sometimes in small groups that mix readily with the commoner Masked Tityra. Black-crowned is told from slightly larger Masked by its solidly black bill. Male is more silvery overall, with a black cap; female had brown face and smaller black cap. Tityras nest in tree cavities, that they sometimes steal from woodpeckers.

A big, powerful goshawk. Adults are gray on the back with fine gray barring below; females much larger. Immatures have a brown back and thick streaks below. Endemic to Madagascar, where it is a scarce resident of all types of primary forest. Rarely sits in the open, and only occasionally soars. Territorial call is a loud repeated “khew” which is often given in flight. Males can be very hard to separate from similarly-sized female Madagascar Sparrowhawk. On Henst’s, look for fine bars on the undertail, a completely barred throat, and a central toe of normal length. Immatures may only be separable based on toe length. Also very similar to the rare Madagascar Serpent-Eagle. Subtle differences include slightly smaller size, evenly-spaced barring on the chest, thicker black bands on the tail, and an unbarred back. 

A relatively small, entirely dark petrel, appearing chocolate-brown or black, with a distinctive short-necked and cigar-shaped silhouette due to its tapering tail. Lacks the white underside of the otherwise similar Beck’s Petrel, and is significantly smaller than and lacks the white belly of Tahiti Petrel. Similar to Bulwer’s Petrel, but lacks the pale bars found in the upperwing of that species, appears shorter-necked, and does not hold its head high in flight. Overall flight style of Fiji Petrel is more acrobatic than that of Bulwer’s Petrel.