Little Egret

Jet-black bird with flashing white wing patches and a small, bristly crest just above base of yellow bill. Across much of its range, found in farms, parks, and cities, nesting in buildings and highway signs and foraging in small flocks on median strips and in garbage dumps. The only black myna throughout most of its natural range, but now rare and local on Taiwan. Occasionally mixes with other starlings while roosting and feeding.

Chunky seabird, the shape of a football. Black above and white below with pearly face and thick multicolored bill. Orange legs and feet. Nonbreeding and young birds show darker face and duller bill. In breeding season, rarely seen far from breeding colonies on rocky islands and cliffs in the North Atlantic. Winters on open ocean, almost never seen from land. Distinctive if seen well; the only puffin in its range.

One of the most beautiful of all flowerpiercers, found only at high elevations near tree line in Colombia’s western Andes. Adult is black with a chestnut belly and silvery shoulder patch. Young birds are duller and browner. Also note the oddly shaped bill with a hooked tip, used to penetrate the bases of flowers to extract nectar. Inhabits scrub and stunted forest, and visits hummingbird feeders in at least one location. Song, often quite long, consists of squeaky chirps that constantly change in pitch.