Yellow-rumped Marshbird

A large, long-legged rail with rich chestnut underparts, duller brown upperparts, a greenish bill, and greenish-yellow legs. Typically encountered in pairs or small groups within dense, rank grassland or thick scrub, in the lowlands and lower hills on Sulawesi. In its limited range, most likely to be confused with female Watercock, but the bush-hen lacks any markings on the upperside and has brighter, chestnut-colored underparts. Noisy, giving harsh “tak-tak-tak-tak” calls in addition to rasping “groOw-groOw-groOw…”.

Huge white bird with a long elegant neck. North American “Whistling” Tundras have a mostly black bill, with a yellow spot near the eye; Eurasian “Bewick’s” have a more evenly divided black-and-yellow bill. Immatures dusky gray-brown with pink on bill. Easily confused with Whooper and Trumpeter Swans where their ranges overlap; see those species’ accounts. Breeds on ponds and tundra in far north. Winters in large flocks on fresh or saltwater. Forages in shallow, vegetated wetlands, reaching under the water for plants, and walks through corn stubble. Gives loud echoing bugles, often while in flight.

A bulbul-sized olive-brown bird that sports a diagnostic all-red bill and a red eye surrounded by a fleshy yellow wattle. The juvenile lacks the bright bill and eye coloration. Small groups occur in savanna and farmland, where they require large wild ungulates and domestic stock to forage on; they clamber agilely over host mammals, gleaning ticks, mites, and other ectoparasites, and occasionally drinking host blood. As they fly between large mammals, they give a distinctive “tsik-tsik” call. The similar Yellow-billed Oxpecker differs from Red-billed Oxpecker by having a yellow bill base and pale rump and lacking an eye-wattle.