New Georgia Dwarf-Kingfisher

A large bulbul with a short brown crest, a gray face, a white throat, a greenish-brown back, and a dirty yellow breast and belly. Found at low and middle elevations in primary and secondary forests and forest edges, as well as in overgrown plantations and gardens. Loud, variable song is a cheery and repetitive stream of various notes, including musical “chew” notes and rougher scolds and rattles. Crest is short and weak, separating it from White-throated and Ochraceous Bulbuls. Brown cap and duller underparts separate this species from Yellow-bellied Bulbul.

Large black crow relative with a slender, curved red bill. Found in pairs or groups around cliffs and in adjacent grassy pastures, grasslands, and fields. Flight acrobatic, wheeling and swooping in updrafts. Distinctive if seen well, with bright red bill and legs. Juvenile has a shorter, yellowish bill—compare with Yellow-billed Chough. Often shares its range with other dark corvids, such as crows and jackdaws; in flight, present species’ broad, deeply fingered wings. Gives a variety of calls, including a loud “chaw!”, as well as higher-pitched gull-like mewing calls.

Heavy-set black-and-white shorebird, affectionately known by New Zealand birders as “SIPO” (rhymes with “typo”). Shows a distinctive red eye, long thick reddish bill, and thick pale-pink feet and legs. Found breeding along braided riverbeds, pastures, and lakes in the South Island of New Zealand, with a few breeding records on the North Island. Most of the population migrates north to estuaries, harbors, and sandy beaches in the North Island and northern South Island. Regular vagrant to Australia during the winter. Often heard giving distinct “kleep” call. Similar to pied-morph Variable Oystercatcher in New Zealand; look for SIPO’s smaller size, sharp border between black and white on lower chest, and extensive white on rump and back. Distinguished from Pied Oystercatcher in Australia by smaller size, longer and thinner bill, shorter legs, and more extensive white up the back and on the wings.