Cuban Crow

Large, gray-brown, streaked honeyeater with small pink flaps of facial skin (wattles) and a bright yellow lower belly. Adult has black crown, red eye with white patch below, yellow belly, and streaking across neck, back, and breast. Juvenile is more uniformly brown, with less defined facial wattles. This species is found in a wide variety of habitats across southern mainland Australia. It can be quite aggressive and typically chases smaller species away from flowering trees. Has a wide variety of loud, harsh vocalizations, many of which are familiar noises across southern Australia.

A yellow-and-black weaver with a distinctive golden-chestnut crown and a yellow back that extends to the upper tail. The forehead of the male is golden-chestnut, while that of the female is black. Juvenile has a yellow-olive head and a pale bill. An uncommon resident in primary and secondary forest, often joining mixed-species flocks and clambering along tree trunks like a nuthatch. Often found in pairs. Mostly silent, but a harsh “chwep” call has been recorded. Yellow-capped Weaver is similar to Preuss’s but has a dark lower back and rump and does not creep along branches and trunks; Brown-capped Weaver has a dark crown and prefers the mountains. 

Elusive thrush, seldom seen far from cover. Favors well-shaded streamsides, gullies, and valleys in broadleaf hill forests during the breeding season, but can be found in sparser habitats in the non-breeding season. Adult male sharply marked and beautiful if seen well, combining coal-black upperparts with a snow-white belly punctuated with dark speckles. Immature male gray above, belly tinged orange. Female medium brown above with white underparts marked with both dark speckles and an orange suffusion; can be confused with female Gray-backed Thrush, but dark markings in Japanese extend to lower belly (restricted to the throat in Gray-backed). Rich, lengthy song often very repetitive.