West African Crested Tern

Small brownish wren now found only on Dominica; formerly also occurred on Guadeloupe and Martinique. Plumage cinnamon-brown overall, with dark barring on the wings and tail. Lacks white eyebrow. Generally more arboreal than mainland “House Wrens”, occurring in dense brushy woodland throughout the island. Often perches conspicuously when singing, but otherwise fairly secretive. Listen for loud song of chatters and clearer trills, as well as harsh scolding calls.

A chunky, thick-billed songbird. Unmistakable male is olive-green above with yellow-tinged underparts, a jet black hood, and a diagnostic patch of loose bare red skin on throat. Dull female has a gray head, an olive back, a yellow underside, and a white throat. Juvenile resembles female, but has a yellow throat. Found singly in hill and montane forest in the Lesser Sundas. Female can be separated from female Rusty-breasted Whistler by the olive upperparts, solid yellow underparts, lack of any pink on the breast, and indistinct pale eye-ring. Loud, powerful song consists of strident whistled notes and includes imitations of crows, orioles, and other bird species. Highly variable sounds also include a car alarm-like “WEE-WOO-WEE-WOO.”

A large stork with a completely bare head and neck ideal for its scavenging habits. The adult’s face is red and the neck is yellow while the juvenile has a brownish head and a white, thinly-feathered neck. The upperparts are all dark while the underparts are mostly white. In flight, note the broad wings with distinctive white “armpits” and tucked in neck. Similar to the larger Greater Adjutant; Lesser has a more slender bill, has all-dark upperwings, and often adopts a more upright, less “hunched” posture. Often found in shallow marshes, fields, and swamps.