The Guide to Nonexistent Birds: an Ornithological Logic SECTION 1749335862.4888487: * * ** *** ***** ******** ************* CHATTERING PARTRIDGE The chattering partridge has a golden breast and a violet shoulder. They have speckled throats and narrow heads. Chattering partridges can often be observed eating seeds and spiders in southern cliffsides, or now and then in bushes. A bird living with many of their kind, they make their homes in tall and loosely built nests of branches. CALL: a sort of chattering - first high then abrasive "pip-coo pip-cooCHIP". - SINGING PARTRIDGE We know nothing about the singing partridge. - COMMON THRUSH A thrush with a white wing is the common thrush. Most often, one can be identified by its narrow breast and its' remarkable narrow throat. Common thrushs may often be found in southern undergrowth searching for seeds, worms, and berries. A bird living in solitude, they are found around the homes of the red-shouldered vulture. CALL: a "kok-tee". RED-BREASTED PARTRIDGE The red-breasted partridge resembles the singing partridge but is much smaller than it, possessing a black head and brown throat. Both birds have a black head. Red-breasted partridges may often be observed in western bushes or in rivers. Their diet consists primarily of seeds, berries, and snails. A bird living in large congregations, they only survive far from human populations. CALL: a "coo-coo per". - EASTERN COOT The eastern coot is a coot with a yellow tail and a golden wing. You are most likely to discover eastern coots in eastern beaches. There, they can often be spotted feeding on crabs, mussels, and a variety of saltwater fish. A bird living singley, they thrive in suburbs. CALL: a high singing which resembles "ah-chip-kraa ah-chip-kraaER". GOLDEN-CRESTED PARTRIDGE A relative of the red-breasted partridge, the golden-crested partridge is much larger than it, possessing a red shoulder and black head. One can be identified by its speckled wing and its' speckled throat. Golden-crested partridges sometimes reside in eastern conifers or tundra where they usually subsist on roots and seeds. A bird living 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 type of "chip-ah ah chip-ah". COMMON THRUSH We know nothing about the common thrush. - COMMON DUCK The common duck has a yellow tail and a brown breast. Its' remarkable speckled wing most often lets you identify one. Common ducks feed on freshwater fish in northern bushes. They thrive in cities. CALL: a tuneful "KAer-oo KAer-ooOO". WHITE-BEAKED ORIOLE A bird with a white beak and a black wing is the white-beaked oriole. White-beaked orioles often inhabit southern estuaries or bushes where they usually subsist on seeds, grubs, and berries. These flocking birds are found around the homes of the eastern swallow. CALL: a low "kyik-kok-ka kok kyik-kok-ka". COMMON THRUSH We know nothing about the common thrush. GOLDEN-SHOULDERED PARTRIDGE We know nothing about the golden-shouldered partridge. RIVER COOT The river coot is much smaller than the eastern coot and is notable for its black throat and gray wing. They can typically be distinguished by their oversized crests and beaks. River coots can sometimes be spotted around eastern rivers or at times in eastern reeds. Singley, they will steal sandwiches. CALL: a whistling that starts tuneful and ends tuneful, which resembles "kyik-tee-chi kyik-tee-chiOO". - FOREST GREBE The forest grebe is a grebe with a white head and a black crest. One can be told apart by its oversized shoulder and its' striped neck. Forest grebes may often be found in northern branches searching for freshwater fish. A bird living in solitude, they mate at the correct times with great theatrics and zeal. CALL: a "WEEka-kraa-kok". SINGING SWIFT The singing swift has a brown neck and a violet breast. They have speckled heads and oversized crests. Singing swifts may occasionally be observed in southern undergrowth or in estuaries. Their diet consists primarily of seeds and some grubs. These birds live singley. CALL: a singing that starts melodic and ends high, which resembles "TEEkyik-tee-er per". BLACK-SHOULDERED HAWK The black-shouldered hawk has a white tail and a brown breast. Black-shouldered hawks occasionally occupy western undergrowth or bushes where they generally subsist on rabbits, mice, and gophers. These flocking birds only survive far from human populations. CALL: a "KOKrik-pip-rik KOKrik-pip-rikCOO". BROWN-TAILED COOT The brown-tailed coot is as large as the river coot, and has a black beak and brown tail. They have oversized beaks and speckled tails. Brown-tailed coots may often be found in southern tundra or in conifers. Their diet consists primarily of trout, salamander, and snails. A bird living in pairs, they will steal sandwiches. CALL: a tuneful "KYIKka-kraa wee KYIKka-kraa". SQUAWKING PARTRIDGE We know nothing about the squawking partridge. YELLOW-BREASTED THRUSH The yellow-breasted thrush is slightly larger than the common thrush, with a yellow wing and yellow breast. Both birds have a golden throat. Yellow-breasted thrushs often occupy southern pine stands or cliffsides where they typically subsist on seeds and spiders. They travel reasonable distances South in the spring, to mate. CALL: a "AIklip-ai ah". WHITE-SHOULDERED ORIOLE We know nothing about the white-shouldered oriole. PRAIRIE DUCK The prairie duck resembles the common duck but is much larger than it, with a black neck and golden tail. You are most likely to discover prairie ducks in eastern shrubbery. There, they can often be found consuming freshwater fish. They are very shy birds, almost impossible to approach. CALL: a sort of "kok-ka-ah ah kok-ka-ah". - RIVER SWALLOW The river swallow is a swallow with a violet neck and a crimson throat. They can generally be told apart by their tufted heads and crests. River swallows can sometimes be observed eating grubs and worms in southern reeds, or now and then in rivers. A bird living in solitude, they travel short distances to better nesting grounds further South in the fall, to perish. CALL: a "pip-per RIKpip-oo pip-per RIKpip-ooER". SINGING PARTRIDGE The singing partridge has a golden neck and a crimson wing. Their tufted tails are conspicuous. You are most likely to discover singing partridges in eastern pine stands. There, they can often be found consuming pine cones and small insects. They seek rising currents of wind to fly high on. CALL: a singing that starts high and ends high, which resembles "coo-chip wee-chi WEErik-rik-kraa ai coo-chip wee-chi WEErik-rik-kraa". YELLOW-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD A bird with a yellow neck and a golden head is the yellow-tailed hummingbird. They have mottled necks and striped crests. Yellow-tailed hummingbirds occasionally live in eastern conifers or tundra where they typically subsist on the nectar of wildflowers. These birds live in flocks. CALL: a hoarse "kraa-kok wee-ai-chi". RED-SHOULDERED SWIFT The red-shouldered swift is notable for its brown beak and its violet crest. Red-shouldered swifts may often be found in southern pine stands searching for pine cones and small insects. In large congregations, they mate at the correct times with great theatrics and zeal. CALL: a sort of "ai-rik ai-er-chi wee". SOUTHERN GROUSE A bird with a golden wing and a yellow throat is the southern grouse. Usually, one can be distinguished by its narrow shoulder and its' notable narrow crest. Southern grouses often inhabit southern beaches or bushes where they most often subsist on seeds, grubs, and berries. In pairs, they are very shy birds, almost impossible to approach. CALL: a screeching that starts high and ends melodic, which resembles "chi-kyik ai-ai-wee chi-kyik ai-ai-weeKRAA". TROPICAL DUCK The tropical duck is much smaller than the prairie duck and is notable for its yellow tail and yellow wing. Its' notable narrow tail generally lets you identify one. Tropical ducks can often be seen eating freshwater fish in northern undergrowth, or now and then in canopies. These solitary birds make their homes in natural cavities in trees filled out with dead twigs and leaves. CALL: a "coo-ai er-er ah coo-ai er-er". EASTERN ORIOLE With a golden shoulder, the eastern oriole is smaller than the white-shouldered oriole. They can typically be told apart by their speckled heads and throats. Eastern orioles can sometimes be found around eastern conifers or at times in eastern mountain tops. A bird living with a few of their kind, they make their homes in suspended structures woven from moss, wool, fabric, plant fluff, or string. CALL: a melodic squawking which might be transcribed "ka-klip wee-wee". BROWN-NECKED THRUSH We know nothing about the brown-necked thrush. WESTERN PARTRIDGE With a red shoulder, the western partridge is slightly smaller than the squawking partridge. Western partridges often live in western undergrowth or treetops where they generally subsist on fruits and nuts. Their speckled shoulders are remarkable. These birds live with a few of their kind. CALL: a singing that starts low and ends melodic, which might be transcribed "per-ka kyik-oo per-ka kyik-ooOU". EASTERN COOT The eastern coot is much larger than the brown-tailed coot and is notable for its golden beak and golden tail. Eastern coots occasionally inhabit eastern bushes or estuaries where they usually subsist on smelt, bass, and snappers. A bird living alone, they thrive in suburbs. CALL: a sort of singing - first low then abrasive "WEEkyik-ou-chi ah WEEkyik-ou-chi". SCREECHING HAWK The screeching hawk resembles the black-shouldered hawk but is much smaller than it, possessing a golden breast and red neck. Their oversized crests are notable. Screeching hawks can often be observed around western conifers or at times in western mountain tops. A bird living with a few of their kind, they have begun to rebound due to conservation programs. CALL: a melodic "ERer-tee-klip". BLACK-CRESTED SWIFT With a yellow head, the black-crested swift is as large as the singing swift. Black-crested swifts can sometimes be found around western undergrowth or at times in western canopies. With many of their kind, they collect bright trinkets found in the dirt. CALL: a tweeting that starts low and ends tuneful, which resembles "AIka-pip-klip ai". VIOLET-TAILED GREBE A relative of the forest grebe, the violet-tailed grebe is smaller than it, with a brown shoulder and blue neck. They have speckled necks and speckled throats. Violet-tailed grebes may often be spotted in northern lakes searching for berries and aquatic insects. With many of their kind, they mate at the correct times with great theatrics and zeal. CALL: a hoarse singing which resembles "OUai-kraa-ai OUai-kraa-aiAI".