The Guide to Nonexistent Birds: an Ornithological Logic SECTION 1747236877.7678628: * * ** *** ***** ******** ************* BLUE-CRESTED THRUSH The blue-crested thrush has a blue crest and a violet breast. Typically, one can be identified by its mottled tail and its' notable speckled beak. You are most likely to discover blue-crested thrushs in southern conifers. There, they can often be found feeding on nuts, seeds, and beetles. A bird living in flocks, they are very shy birds, almost impossible to approach. CALL: a sort of "rik-tee rik-teeOU". - YELLOW-TAILED THRUSH The yellow-tailed thrush resembles the blue-crested thrush but is much larger than it, and has a brown throat and yellow tail. They can usually be distinguished by their narrow wings and heads. Yellow-tailed thrushs may often be found in southern bushes or in undergrowth. Their diet consists primarily of seeds, worms, and berries. These birds only survive far from human populations, in large congregations. CALL: a tuneful "ai-rik ai-rikKA". - EASTERN ORIOLE One kind of oriole is the eastern oriole, a bird conspicuous for its crimson wing and red tail. Eastern orioles may sometimes be seen in eastern lakes or in shrubbery. Their diet consists primarily of seeds and grubs. These birds live in pairs. CALL: a abrasive "oo-klip". WESTERN THRUSH With a yellow crest, the western thrush is smaller than the yellow-tailed thrush. Western thrushs may often be found in western estuaries or in undergrowth. Their diet consists primarily of seeds, worms, and berries. A bird living with a few of their kind, they make their homes in depressions in the ground covered over by moss, wool, fabric, plant fluff, or string. CALL: a "coo-ai ai". - BROWN-BREASTED WOODPECKER The brown-breasted woodpecker is a woodpecker with a white shoulder and a blue head. They can most often be distinguished by their narrow beaks and wings. Brown-breasted woodpeckers can sometimes be seen around northern lakes or at times in northern shrubbery. In large congregations, they only survive far from human populations. CALL: a tuneful singing which sounds like "pip-ah-wee pip-ah-weeCHIP". SINGING THRUSH We know nothing about the singing thrush. FOREST ORIOLE The forest oriole is sometimes incorrectly identified as the eastern oriole and is much larger than it. The forest oriole has a crimson head and golden wing. Both birds have a red tail and a golden breast. Forest orioles may often be seen in northern branches or in treetops. Their diet consists primarily of fruits and nuts. These solitary birds mate at the correct times with great theatrics and zeal. CALL: a singing that starts tuneful and ends melodic, which resembles "ou-klip". - YELLOW-SHOULDERED GULL A gull with a yellow shoulder is the yellow-shouldered gull. Their narrow necks are notable. Yellow-shouldered gulls feed on freshwater fish in eastern bushes. These birds live with many of their kind. CALL: a type of "PERoo-klip PERoo-klipKLIP". BLACK-CRESTED EGRET The black-crested egret is notable for its gray tail and its white neck. Black-crested egrets may often be seen in southern treetops or in shrubbery. Their diet consists primarily of freshwater fish. These flocking birds live on human outskirts, sometimes venturing into backyards or beaches. CALL: a "kraa-ou-klip ah kraa-ou-klip". VIOLET-SHOULDERED ORIOLE With a violet shoulder, the violet-shouldered oriole is much smaller than the forest oriole. Violet-shouldered orioles may often be seen in western bushes searching for seeds, grubs, and berries. They can most often be distinguished by their striped heads and wings. These birds often mingle with groups of violet-crested thrushs, in large congregations. CALL: a "kok-ah-kok". YELLOW-THROATED THRUSH The yellow-throated thrush is sometimes incorrectly identified as the singing thrush and is slightly larger than it. The yellow-throated thrush has a yellow breast and yellow beak. You are most likely to discover yellow-throated thrushs in eastern beaches. There, they can often be seen eating seeds and driftwood-feeding insects. These birds live in flocks. CALL: a melodic "oo-ka-oo ou". COMMON WOODPECKER The common woodpecker is as large as the brown-breasted woodpecker, possessing a violet neck and white wing. Common woodpeckers can often be observed around western rivers or at times in western ponds. These birds will congregate and gratefully eat if fed, individually or in small groups. CALL: a "chip-kraa-coo chip-kraa-cooER". - RED-TAILED GREBE One kind of grebe is the red-tailed grebe, a bird conspicuous for its brown breast and crimson wing. Red-tailed grebes can often be found eating freshwater fish in western treetops, or now and then in bushes. They travel short distances to better nesting grounds further North in the winter, to raise their young. CALL: a abrasive singing which resembles "OUoo-klip-kok". RIVER HAWK One kind of hawk is the river hawk, a bird notable for its red neck and brown beak. Its' remarkable tufted neck most often lets you identify one. You are most likely to discover river hawks in eastern lakes. There, they can often be spotted eating fish and frugs. These birds travel short distances to better nesting grounds further West in the winter, to find food, in solitude. CALL: a high singing which might be transcribed "OOper-oo-kok ah". COASTAL HUMMINGBIRD One kind of hummingbird is the coastal hummingbird, a bird remarkable for its yellow head and brown crest. One can be told apart by its tufted tail and its' speckled wing. Coastal hummingbirds may occasionally be seen in northern bushes searching for the nectar of wildflowers. In flocks, they travel without rest accross continents and over oceans South in the fall, to perish. CALL: a high chattering which resembles "TEEka-tee-klip TEEka-tee-klipRIK". COASTAL WOODPECKER The coastal woodpecker is sometimes mistaken for the common woodpecker and is much larger than it. The coastal woodpecker has a blue throat and golden breast. Coastal woodpeckers often occupy northern beaches or bushes where they usually subsist on seeds, grubs, and berries. With many of their kind, they seek cold currents of wind to fly high on. CALL: a sort of singing - first hoarse then melodic "COOwee-oo wee COOwee-oo". BROWN-CRESTED THRUSH A relative of the yellow-throated thrush, the brown-crested thrush is slightly larger than it, and has a white beak and white throat. Both birds have a yellow breast. Brown-crested thrushs sometimes occupy southern swamps or rivers where they most often subsist on seeds, berries, and snails. These birds make their homes in flat platforms composed of moss, wool, fabric, plant fluff, or string, in large congregations. CALL: a type of "OOcoo-er". WHITE-TAILED ORIOLE The white-tailed oriole is slightly larger than the violet-shouldered oriole, possessing a blue crest and brown throat. White-tailed orioles may often be found in southern estuaries or in beaches. Their diet consists primarily of seeds and driftwood-feeding insects. In flocks, they have lost the capacity for flight. CALL: a melodic "AIchi-tee wee". RIVER EGRET The river egret is sometimes incorrectly identified as the black-crested egret and is smaller than it. The river egret has a crimson beak and black neck. Their colors are completely different. River egrets feed on berries and aquatic insects in eastern lakes. A bird living in solitude, they are very shy birds, almost impossible to approach. CALL: a "KOKcoo-per KOKcoo-perKRAA". BLUE-WINGED GULL The blue-winged gull is sometimes incorrectly identified as the yellow-shouldered gull and is much larger than it. The blue-winged gull has a brown head and brown tail. You are most likely to discover blue-winged gulls in western tundra. There, they can often be found consuming salmon and mackerel. These birds live individually or in small groups. CALL: a abrasive "pip-klip-ah ah pip-klip-ah". - GOLDEN-TAILED ORIOLE One kind of oriole is the golden-tailed oriole, a bird notable for its golden tail and red shoulder. Its' notable striped breast most often lets you identify one. Golden-tailed orioles may often be seen in southern lakes or in treetops. Their diet consists primarily of fruits and nuts. They will steal sandwiches. CALL: a abrasive singing which sounds like "wee-tee KAai-ah wee-tee KAai-ahPER". SINGING HUMMINGBIRD The singing hummingbird is notable for its yellow throat and its red tail. They can generally be identified by their striped wings and throats. Singing hummingbirds occasionally inhabit western shrubbery or treetops where they generally subsist on the nectar of wildflowers. These birds live in flocks. CALL: a tuneful "klip-rik kyik-ah-chi pip klip-rik kyik-ah-chi". BROWN-CRESTED HAWK The brown-crested hawk is a hawk with a golden beak and a violet head. Their speckled crests are conspicuous. You are most likely to discover brown-crested hawks in eastern cliffsides. There, they can occasionally be found consuming other birds. These birds travel reasonable distances East in the fall, to withstand the weather, in flocks. CALL: a kind of "coo-kyik coo-coo-er". MOUNTAIN GUINEAFOWL One kind of guineafowl is the mountain guineafowl, a bird conspicuous for its yellow shoulder and yellow head. Their narrow heads are notable. Mountain guineafowls feed on seeds and spiders in northern cliffsides. These birds live with many of their kind. CALL: a sort of whistling - first abrasive then low "kok-pip chi-ka-pip klip". RED-BEAKED SWALLOW The red-beaked swallow has a red head and a yellow neck. Red-beaked swallows often live in eastern undergrowth or estuaries where they typically subsist on seeds and some grubs. They have lost the capacity for flight. CALL: a "ai-er ah-chip-ai ai-er ah-chip-aiKRAA". SOUTHERN GULL A relative of the blue-winged gull, the southern gull is much smaller than it, with a red shoulder and yellow neck. Southern gulls can often be found around southern conifers or at times in southern mountain tops. These birds live singley. CALL: a type of screeching - first tuneful then tuneful "ai-klip per-ka coo ai-klip per-ka". RIVER EGRET We know nothing about the river egret. BLACK-THROATED ORIOLE We know nothing about the black-throated oriole. GRAY-TAILED THRUSH The gray-tailed thrush is as large as the brown-crested thrush, with a blue breast and brown throat. Gray-tailed thrushs may often be observed in eastern undergrowth or in swamps. Their diet consists primarily of insects and tubers. Typically, one can be distinguished by its mottled throat and its' conspicuous oversized neck. With many of their kind, they travel without rest accross continents and over oceans South in the winter, to find food. CALL: a type of squawking - first low then melodic "ou-klip klip-tee ou-klip klip-teeKRAA". RED-TAILED WOODPECKER The red-tailed woodpecker is sometimes incorrectly identified as the coastal woodpecker and is much smaller than it. The red-tailed woodpecker has a brown neck and golden breast. Red-tailed woodpeckers feed on insects and tubers in southern swamps. They can generally be told apart by their tufted crests and wings. These birds make their homes in tall and loosely built nests of dead twigs and leaves, in large congregations. CALL: a sort of chattering - first tuneful then melodic "WEEwee-klip-kraa kraa WEEwee-klip-kraa". RED-BREASTED HUMMINGBIRD The red-breasted hummingbird is slightly larger than the coastal hummingbird, with a white throat and red head. Both birds have a red breast and a red neck. Red-breasted hummingbirds may often be found in eastern undergrowth or in bushes. Their diet consists primarily of the nectar of wildflowers. A bird living in flocks, they are a brood parasite, leaving their eggs in nests of the arctic kestrel rather than raising their own young. CALL: a "WEEkraa-kok-kok". GOLDEN-HEADED HAWK The golden-headed hawk resembles the river hawk but is slightly larger than it, with a gray wing and brown throat. Golden-headed hawks feed on rodents in southern undergrowth. These flocking birds mate at the correct times with great theatrics and zeal. CALL: a low singing which sounds like "OUkraa-er-klip coo". SINGING GREBE We know nothing about the singing grebe.