Australasian Bittern

Mid-sized warbler with a long tail. Dark brown overall, with a white throat and pale eye-line. Found very locally in middle-elevation habitats with a dense ground cover, including bamboo, forest, marsh, and lush grassy areas. Rare species that is not often seen. Most likely to be detected and identified by its distinctive song: a ratcheting up-and-down “dee-ka dee-ka dee-ka…” series which can last for several seconds. Very similar to Evergreen-forest Warbler, and best distinguished by its different song.

A bizarre and unique shorebird. Medium-sized with fairly short, slightly drooped bill. Leg color varies from dull greenish to bright orange; bill can be entirely dark or mostly orange. Plumage highly variable, especially breeding males, which have fancy neck ruffs that can be black, white, buffy, reddish-brown, or any combination thereof. Females and nonbreeding birds can be confusing, usually plain grayish-brown overall, sometimes with blotchy markings on the neck and belly. Juveniles are bright buffy with neat scaly patterning on the upperparts. Flight often rather lazy, with deep floppy wingbeats; note white underwings, white sides to rump, and feet projecting well past tail. Males are much larger than females. Breeds in bogs and wet grassy meadows across northern Eurasia; winters mainly in Africa but also across India and Southeast Asia. Migrants occur in almost any wetland habitat, from reservoirs and fields to coastal mudflats. Feeds by probing and picking, often while in shallow water. Rare but regular vagrant to North America, usually single birds found among flocks of yellowlegs.

Bulky woodcreeper with a stout, deeply curved bill. Very rare in tall, wet Andean cloud forest. Brown with buffy streaks on head, neck, and underparts. Dual white stripes on face and thicker bill distinguish it from Brown-billed Scythebill. Usually found alone, sometimes with mixed-species flocks; probes for insects while creeping along moss-covered trunks and branches. Gives a variety of nasal, whiny-sounding squeaks.