Austral Thrush

Tiny and charismatic hermit hummingbird. Note a very contrasting black mask. Dark-olive above and cinnamon below and on the rump. Males have an incomplete black breast band and a shorter tail and wings than females. Common in the lower strata of forests and forest edges where it is fond of Heliconia flowers.

Large, glossy-black bird with a wedge-shaped tail. Larger than a crow with a longer, thicker bill. Distinctive shape in flight, with rather long, swept-back wings and long tail. Note smoother, steadier wingbeats compared with faster, choppier wingbeats of crows. Extensive range throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Found in a wide variety of habitats, including desert, coniferous forest, coastlines, sagebrush, tundra, and grasslands. Often solitary or in pairs, but can gather in small groups. Typical call is a loud, guttural croak, but makes an astonishing variety of other strange noises. Compare with Chihuahuan Raven in the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, and with various large, all-dark crows and ravens in Europe and Asia.

Spectacular ground-dwelling pigeon with long, extravagant plumes trailing down from the neck. Dark green intermixed with gray, blue, and bronzy orange, depending on the light. Tail is snow-white, but only readily visible when the bird is flushed. Generally shy, quiet, and difficult to see. Inhabits small, densely forested offshore islands from the Indian Andamans to the Solomons and New Guinea.