The Guide to Nonexistent Birds: an Ornithological Logic SECTION 1751845262.2277775: * * ** *** ***** ******** ************* BLUE-BEAKED SWIFT A bird with a red wing and a blue tail is the blue-beaked swift. They have oversized necks and striped shoulders. Blue-beaked swifts sometimes occupy northern undergrowth or beaches where they generally subsist on seeds and driftwood-feeding insects. They travel reasonable distances East in the winter, to raise their young. CALL: a low squawking which sounds like "ah-ka ah-kaCHIP". - BLUE-BEAKED SWIFT The blue-beaked swift is larger than the blue-beaked swift and is notable for its golden shoulder and black neck. Blue-beaked swifts can often be spotted around southern treetops or at times in southern undergrowth. These birds live with a few of their kind. CALL: a high chattering which sounds like "oo-tee oo-teeAI". - GOLDEN-WINGED ORIOLE One kind of oriole is the golden-winged oriole, a bird remarkable for its yellow breast and golden wing. One can be told apart by its speckled beak and its' striped crest. Golden-winged orioles can often be spotted eating fruits and nuts in western branches, or now and then in bushes. With many of their kind, they travel long distances annualy to the same sites in the East in the winter, to raise their young. CALL: a "kok-pip". EASTERN SWIFT A relative of the blue-beaked swift, the eastern swift is much smaller than it, possessing a yellow tail and red beak. Both birds have a brown throat. Eastern swifts may often be observed in eastern undergrowth or in swamps. Their diet consists primarily of insects and tubers. These birds live in solitude. CALL: a "oo-chi er". - COASTAL KESTREL One kind of kestrel is the coastal kestrel, a bird remarkable for its black shoulder and yellow wing. Their oversized necks are conspicuous. Coastal kestrels may often be found in southern bushes or in beaches. Their diet consists primarily of shorebirds. These birds live with a few of their kind. CALL: a "klip-rik-oo klip-rik-ooRIK". BROWN-THROATED SWIFT We know nothing about the brown-throated swift. SINGING ORIOLE The singing oriole is much smaller than the golden-winged oriole and is notable for its golden beak and black tail. Singing orioles sometimes occupy western bushes or cliffsides where they most often subsist on seeds and spiders. They thrive in suburbs. CALL: a melodic singing which resembles "oo-wee". - RED-CRESTED EGRET The red-crested egret is a egret with a red beak and a red crest. Their oversized wings are conspicuous. Red-crested egrets feed on crabs, mussels, and a variety of saltwater fish in northern beaches. A bird living with a few of their kind, they are a brood parasite, leaving their eggs in nests of the blue-beaked vulture rather than raising their own young. CALL: a type of "CHIPpip-per CHIPpip-perPIP". SOUTHERN GROUSE A grouse with a red wing is the southern grouse. They can typically be identified by their speckled beaks and tails. Southern grouses can often be seen around southern pine stands or at times in southern bushes. They are very shy birds, almost impossible to approach. CALL: a tuneful "ou-ai-ai kok ou-ai-ai". NORTHERN ORIOLE The northern oriole is sometimes incorrectly identified as the singing oriole and is larger than it. The northern oriole has a black shoulder and black crest. Northern orioles feed on seeds, grubs, and berries in northern bushes. These birds live in pairs. CALL: a sort of chattering - first melodic then tuneful "per-kyik-kyik". COMMON SWIFT A relative of the brown-throated swift, the common swift is somewhat smaller than it, and has a brown head and white crest. Common swifts may often be found in northern bushes searching for seeds, grubs, and berries. These birds can always find their way home, in solitude. CALL: a abrasive "kraa-kyik-ai klip". GOLDEN-BEAKED KESTREL A relative of the coastal kestrel, the golden-beaked kestrel is larger than it, possessing a golden breast and red throat. Golden-beaked kestrels sometimes live in eastern conifers or tundra where they generally subsist on lemmings, squirrels, and arctic rabbits. They mate at the correct times with great theatrics and zeal. CALL: a low "chip-chi-er chip-chi-erOU". - YELLOW-BREASTED ORIOLE A oriole with a yellow breast is the yellow-breasted oriole. Generally, one can be identified by its oversized shoulder and its' remarkable striped breast. You are most likely to discover yellow-breasted orioles in southern treetops. There, they can often be seen feeding on fruits and nuts. They mate at the correct times with great theatrics and zeal. CALL: a type of silent - first high then abrasive "KRAAchi-klip-rik". SINGING ORIOLE One kind of oriole is the singing oriole, a bird notable for its yellow throat and gray breast. Singing orioles can often be spotted around western reeds or at times in western bushes. A bird living individually or in small groups, they thrive in suburbs. CALL: a sort of "KRAAkok-chip-oo ai". UNCOMMON THRUSH One kind of thrush is the uncommon thrush, a bird conspicuous for its violet throat and black head. Their narrow shoulders are remarkable. You are most likely to discover uncommon thrushs in eastern lakes. There, they can sometimes be seen feeding on berries and aquatic insects. These birds live individually or in small groups. CALL: a whistling that starts high and ends abrasive, which might be transcribed "KYIKcoo-chip-oo KYIKcoo-chip-ooPER". YELLOW-BREASTED KESTREL The yellow-breasted kestrel is somewhat smaller than the golden-beaked kestrel and is notable for its red throat and golden shoulder. You are most likely to discover yellow-breasted kestrels in eastern pine stands. There, they can sometimes be found feeding on flocks of small birds. They mate at the correct times with great theatrics and zeal. CALL: a type of "PIPchi-tee wee PIPchi-tee". WHITE-THROATED SWIFT The white-throated swift resembles the common swift but is much larger than it, and has a white throat and red tail. White-throated swifts can sometimes be observed eating fruits and nuts in eastern treetops, or now and then in lakes. Their narrow throats are remarkable. These birds make their homes in depressions in the ground covered over by branches, in large congregations. CALL: a "AIkraa-chip". RED-SHOULDERED ORIOLE We know nothing about the red-shouldered oriole. COASTAL GROUSE The coastal grouse is slightly smaller than the southern grouse, and has a black breast and black shoulder. Coastal grouses feed on seeds and driftwood-feeding insects in southern beaches. In pairs, they make their homes in suspended structures woven from moss, wool, fabric, plant fluff, or string. CALL: a sort of "KYIKper-per KYIKper-perAH". TWEETING EGRET We know nothing about the tweeting egret. - YELLOW-BEAKED ORIOLE A oriole with a black throat is the yellow-beaked oriole. Yellow-beaked orioles often inhabit western rivers or canopies where they typically subsist on nuts, beetles, and fruit. A bird living in large congregations, they mate at the correct times with great theatrics and zeal. CALL: a melodic "klip-ah KYIKoo-chip klip-ah KYIKoo-chipOO". COMMON COOT A coot with a golden tail is the common coot. Common coots feed on smelt, bass, and snappers in western estuaries. Singley, they thrive in suburbs. CALL: a singing that starts tuneful and ends low, which resembles "ou-pip ka-ai-rik chi ou-pip ka-ai-rik". BLACK-THROATED SWALLOW The black-throated swallow has a gray head and a red tail. Black-throated swallows may occasionally be observed in western bushes searching for seeds, grubs, and berries. In large congregations, they travel reasonable distances East in the fall, to withstand the weather. CALL: a "wee-coo er-kok-kraa". FOREST EGRET A bird with a brown neck and a crimson breast is the forest egret. Its' remarkable speckled head generally lets you identify one. You are most likely to discover forest egrets in eastern branches. There, they can sometimes be found consuming freshwater fish. A bird living singley, they make their homes in suspended structures woven from moss, wool, fabric, plant fluff, or string. CALL: a sort of "ou-chi rik-ai-pip chip". SOUTHERN VULTURE One kind of vulture is the southern vulture, a bird remarkable for its violet shoulder and gray neck. One can be told apart by its mottled breast and its' speckled head. Southern vultures can often be found around southern swamps or at times in southern canopies. They travel short distances to better nesting grounds further West in the spring, to mate. CALL: a hoarse whistling which might be transcribed "ka-kraa coo-chi-tee ka-kraa coo-chi-teeKRAA". WESTERN EGRET With a gray head, the western egret is slightly smaller than the tweeting egret. Western egrets may sometimes be observed in western bushes searching for freshwater fish. Their speckled necks are conspicuous. These birds collect bright trinkets found in the dirt, singley. CALL: a whistling that starts low and ends low, which resembles "ou-chi er-er ah ou-chi er-er". BLUE-THROATED GROUSE A relative of the coastal grouse, the blue-throated grouse is smaller than it, possessing a brown shoulder and black crest. Blue-throated grouses can often be seen around southern conifers or at times in southern mountain tops. These birds live with many of their kind. CALL: a kind of singing - first high then tuneful "tee-kraa coo-ah". RED-BEAKED ORIOLE We know nothing about the red-beaked oriole. CRIMSON-THROATED SWIFT The crimson-throated swift is sometimes incorrectly identified as the white-throated swift and is as large as it. The crimson-throated swift has a golden beak and black tail. Crimson-throated swifts can sometimes be observed eating seeds, berries, and snails in western rivers, or now and then in reeds. Its' conspicuous striped neck usually lets you identify one. These flocking birds have lost the capacity for flight. CALL: a low tweeting which sounds like "oo-tee ka-per oo-tee ka-perPIP". TWEETING KESTREL The tweeting kestrel is somewhat larger than the yellow-breasted kestrel, possessing a gray head and yellow breast. Tweeting kestrels may sometimes be found in eastern bushes searching for rabbits, mice, and gophers. They are very shy birds, almost impossible to approach. CALL: a tuneful "CHIkok-chi-chi ka CHIkok-chi-chi". BROWN-THROATED THRUSH A relative of the uncommon thrush, the brown-throated thrush is slightly smaller than it, with a brown throat and brown neck. You are most likely to discover brown-throated thrushs in southern lakes. There, they can often be found consuming berries and aquatic insects. These flocking birds fly slowly. CALL: a tweeting that starts hoarse and ends high, which might be transcribed "OUkraa-chip-per". BLACK-TAILED ORIOLE A relative of the singing oriole, the black-tailed oriole is as large as it, with a yellow breast and red wing. Black-tailed orioles may sometimes be spotted in eastern lakes searching for berries and aquatic insects. They can generally be identified by their striped shoulders and beaks. In flocks, they make their homes in depressions in the ground covered over by dead twigs and leaves. CALL: a abrasive whistling which resembles "KOKai-kraa-rik tee". GOLDEN-SHOULDERED ORIOLE The golden-shouldered oriole resembles the yellow-breasted oriole but is larger than it, possessing a blue crest and violet beak. Their colors are completely different. Golden-shouldered orioles can often be found around southern swamps or at times in southern undergrowth. These birds live with many of their kind. CALL: a sort of "RIKou-chi-kyik RIKou-chi-kyikOU".