Bradfield's Swift

A delicate-looking long-tailed shrike with striking black-and-white plumage. The male has a rich rusty breast and sides. Female like male but duller, with juvenile grayer and more barred on the upperparts and sides. Often pumps long tail. Forages mainly on arthropods, which it locates from prominent perches. Breeds in a range of wooded habitats, from Mediterranean scrub to open forests and overgrown orchards. During migration, can be seen in various habitats, including gardens and arid zones. Often favors more densely vegetated habitats than other shrikes. Gives a dry “tchrtchrtchr.”

Stunning dark blue bird with a huge bill. Male is mostly deep cobalt with paler highlights on the shoulder and eyebrow and a darker patch around the eye. Female is rich reddish-brown overall. Found singly or in pairs in scrubby wooded habitats, often near water. Can be skulky, preferring to forage in dense thickets. Occurs mostly in southeastern South America, with disjunct populations in Venezuela and Colombia. Compare with Blue-black Grosbeak, which doesn’t overlap much in range and is typically found in heavier forest.

Colorful kingfisher with very long blue or white tail streamers, rusty-red underparts, and bright red bill. Head black, wings blue with a black-bordered white stripe running down the back. Juvenile has shorter tail streamers and a black bill. Resident in Bismarck Archipelago of Papua New Guinea.