Spot-billed Ground-Tyrant

Tiny rotund, short-tailed bird, scarcely larger than a sparrow; like a diminutive partridge or quail but only distantly related. Brown with scaly streaking above, extensive black barring on the chest (more extensive on the female), and rich tawny flanks. Extremely difficult to detect, moving about invisibly in dense weedy vegetation in fields, forest edges, and farmland. Flying birds have whirring flight, show contrast between dark flight feathers and paler coverts. Courting females give sonorous, booming calls from dense vegetation.

A large, long-billed rail with a bright chestnut head, neck, and back, olive-colored wings, a black rump and tail, and a gray undercarriage. Note the pinkish-red bare skin around the eye. Legs pinkish-red and bill olive. Pairs or small groups inhabit swampy riverside areas and lowland and hill forest. Very shy. In Aru Islands, overlaps with the much larger Chestnut Rail, but can be distinguished by reddish legs, chestnut head color, and black tail. Gives a dramatic, deep bellowing “kyow-kyow” call and piglike grunts.

Huge white bird with long neck, reddish-orange bill, and black face. Adults have a black knob on top of the bill. Immatures are dusky brown with a gray bill. Native to northern Europe and Asia, but introduced in many regions, where it is now common on ponds, lakes, and calm coastal waters. Very aggressive toward native waterfowl. Often seen in pairs or small family groups.