Worstbird

Small, flightless dark brown duck, endemic to New Zealand. Males have green iridescence on head, dark chestnut-colored breast, and lightly barred flanks. Females are uniformly dark brown. Both sexes have distinct white eye-ring. Confined to the Auckland islands, where it occurs on all major islands except the main Auckland Island. Found on sheltered shorelines rummaging through windblown kelp piles. Also found on streams with adequate cover of tussock and sedges. Males give a soft trill as an alarm or territorial call. Females give a growl and a rapid quack. Distinguished from other New Zealand endemic teal species by location and light barring on sides.

Large, plain, long-tailed cisticola. Note the pale eye stripe, which is lacking in most similarly plain cisticolas. Varies geographically: the crown can be rufous or brown, and the underparts buffy or gray. In most of the range, found on rocky slopes in grassland and savanna. The Angolan population, which probably deserves to be split as a full species, is found mostly in shrubby trees, and rarely on the ground. Often cocks up the tail like a wren or prinia. Calls include squeaks, bleats, and dry rattles. The Angolan subspecies is very different vocally, giving a musical series of high-pitched trills and whistles, lacking the low-pitched, nasal notes typical of the species elsewhere in the range. As with all cisticolas, habitat and voice are important cues in identification.

A long-legged and long-necked flightless bird. Males have a blue-gray neck and legs, but the bill and front of the legs become pink when breeding. Females have dull pinkish-colored legs and neck. Found in a variety of dry habitats, including grassland, thornscrub, and semi-desert. Often in small groups. Very similar to Common Ostrich, but males separated by their blue legs and neck and the lack of a white ring at the base of the neck. Females are separated by their pale eyes. The voice is a deep, lion-like booming.

Small hummingbird with limited range. Male entirely glittering green with dark forked tail. Bill is straight and all black. Does not have coppery rump like Steely-vented Hummingbird. Female is clean white below with distinctive black cheek and white line behind eye. Nearly identical to Canivet’s Emerald but no range overlap. Found in second-growth, gardens, and forest edge.

Unique foliage-gleaner of dense bamboo in humid montane forest from low to mid elevations in the east slopes of the Andes. Despite its name, the bill is only very slightly recurved. Most easily found by its long, dry song. Generally in primary forest, far from human settlement, singly or in pairs. Tends to stay on small territories for long periods. From other foliage gleaners by rufous throat and supercilium, even streaking below, and straight culmen. Song a long series of accelerating but slightly sputtering dry “cak” notes.