The Guide to Nonexistent Birds: an Ornithological Logic SECTION 1786714707.5458786: * * ** *** ***** ******** ************* GOLDEN-WINGED GULL A bird with a blue beak and a red tail is the golden-winged gull. Golden-winged gulls can often be seen eating trout and other freshwater fish in eastern rivers, or now and then in canopies. In flocks, they can always find their way home. CALL: a tuneful singing which sounds like "chip-ai chip-aiWEE". - YELLOW-BREASTED GULL A relative of the golden-winged gull, the yellow-breasted gull is slightly smaller than it, possessing a black throat and gray neck. Yellow-breasted gulls may occasionally be seen in western rivers or in swamps. Their diet consists primarily of catfish, bass, sunfish, and minnows. These birds are found around the homes of the river swallow, with many of their kind. CALL: a high "ah-klip ah-klipKYIK". - NORTHERN SWIFT A swift with a yellow head is the northern swift. Their striped crests are conspicuous. Northern swifts may often be spotted in northern lakes or in rivers. Their diet consists primarily of seeds, berries, and snails. They collect bright trinkets found in the dirt. CALL: a type of "ai-kok". BLACK-NECKED GULL The black-necked gull is much larger than the yellow-breasted gull, possessing a golden breast and black neck. One can be told apart by its tufted breast and its' narrow wing. Black-necked gulls often live in northern estuaries or bushes where they usually subsist on freshwater fish. These birds live individually or in small groups. CALL: a "tee-pip coo". - BLACK-TAILED VULTURE The black-tailed vulture is remarkable for its yellow wing and its yellow throat. They have speckled crests and oversized tails. Black-tailed vultures may often be spotted in eastern swamps or in rivers. Their diet consists primarily of fresh-water fish. These birds have lost the capacity for flight, in flocks. CALL: a kind of chattering - first hoarse then hoarse "wee-per-ai wee-per-aiOO". BLACK-BEAKED GULL With a black beak, the black-beaked gull is much smaller than the black-necked gull. Black-beaked gulls often reside in eastern bushes or undergrowth where they typically subsist on freshwater fish. A bird living individually or in small groups, they have lost the capacity for flight. CALL: a hoarse tweeting which sounds like "kraa-kraa rik kraa-kraa". EASTERN SWIFT A relative of the northern swift, the eastern swift is slightly larger than it, with a yellow throat and blue neck. Eastern swifts may often be found in eastern mountain tops or in tundra. Their diet consists primarily of roots and seeds. A bird living in solitude, they collect bright trinkets found in the dirt. CALL: a kind of squawking - first abrasive then low "kok-tee". - WHITE-BREASTED SWIFT The white-breasted swift is notable for its violet tail and its red beak. You are most likely to discover white-breasted swifts in northern branches. There, they can often be found eating fruits and nuts. These birds live in large congregations. CALL: a "KYIKkraa-rik KYIKkraa-rikPIP". COMMON COOT A coot with a yellow tail is the common coot. One can be told apart by its oversized wing and its' tufted neck. Common coots often inhabit western treetops or undergrowth where they generally subsist on freshwater fish. Singley, they thrive in suburbs. CALL: a sort of tweeting - first hoarse then hoarse "klip-pip-ah pip klip-pip-ah". WHISTLING SWIFT We know nothing about the whistling swift. BLACK-TAILED GULL A relative of the black-beaked gull, the black-tailed gull is somewhat smaller than it, with a brown crest and golden neck. You are most likely to discover black-tailed gulls in western undergrowth. There, they can often be found feeding on freshwater fish. These birds mate at the correct times with great theatrics and zeal, in pairs. CALL: a melodic "rik-coo-chi ai". WHITE-CRESTED VULTURE With a red neck, the white-crested vulture is slightly smaller than the black-tailed vulture. White-crested vultures may occasionally be observed in northern swamps or in rivers. Their diet consists primarily of fresh-water fish. These birds live in flocks. CALL: a sort of singing - first melodic then high "oo-wee-chip oo-wee-chipKRAA". - ARCTIC SWALLOW A bird with a yellow wing and a red neck is the arctic swallow. Arctic swallows may often be seen in northern tundra searching for roots and seeds. These semi-solitary birds mate at the correct times with great theatrics and zeal. CALL: a sort of "COOcoo-pip-oo". BROWN-TAILED EGRET A egret with a white neck is the brown-tailed egret. Brown-tailed egrets often reside in northern estuaries or beaches where they usually subsist on crabs, mussels, and a variety of saltwater fish. These birds live in flocks. CALL: a low "PIPoo-oo-oo chip". BROWN-TAILED SWIFT The brown-tailed swift has a brown throat and a white neck. They can most often be told apart by their oversized throats and breasts. Brown-tailed swifts may often be found in southern branches or in undergrowth. Their diet consists primarily of seeds, worms, and berries. A bird living with many of their kind, they are found around the homes of the golden-winged egret. CALL: a high "COOchip-pip-kok COOchip-pip-kokKRAA". GRAY-BEAKED VULTURE The gray-beaked vulture resembles the white-crested vulture but is much larger than it, and has a crimson breast and red wing. Its' notable narrow head typically lets you identify one. Gray-beaked vultures can often be found eating other birds in northern cliffsides, or now and then in bushes. A bird living with many of their kind, they travel reasonable distances West in the fall, to perish. CALL: a sort of "AHchip-rik kok AHchip-rik". RED-THROATED GULL The red-throated gull resembles the black-tailed gull but is much larger than it, with a blue neck and black tail. Red-throated gulls may often be found in northern pine stands or in bushes. Their diet consists primarily of freshwater fish. A bird living in pairs, they are found around the homes of the rare tinamou. CALL: a chattering that starts hoarse and ends abrasive, which might be transcribed "CHIPkyik-ou". WHISTLING SWIFT The whistling swift is slightly larger than the whistling swift, with a white tail and violet beak. Both birds have a yellow throat and a red crest and a red neck. Whistling swifts can often be found around southern estuaries or at times in southern undergrowth. These birds can always find their way home, in pairs. CALL: a type of whistling - first high then melodic "TEEka-chi er". CRIMSON-TAILED COOT The crimson-tailed coot is as large as the common coot, possessing a golden beak and crimson tail. Both birds have a yellow crest. Crimson-tailed coots can often be found around eastern treetops or at times in eastern lakes. These birds are a brood parasite, leaving their eggs in nests of the mountain swallow rather than raising their own young, in flocks. CALL: a abrasive squawking which resembles "KLIPcoo-kyik KLIPcoo-kyikRIK". RED-NECKED SWIFT We know nothing about the red-necked swift. - RED-THROATED HAWK The red-throated hawk has a red crest and a yellow tail. They can usually be identified by their oversized wings and necks. Red-throated hawks may sometimes be found in southern bushes searching for rabbits, mice, and gophers. These semi-solitary birds have been devastated by extensive hunting. CALL: a abrasive squawking which sounds like "chip-kyik COOtee-ah chip-kyik COOtee-ahCOO". PRAIRIE COOT A coot with a yellow head is the prairie coot. They can most often be distinguished by their striped throats and breasts. You are most likely to discover prairie coots in eastern treetops. There, they can sometimes be found consuming freshwater fish. Alone, they collect bright trinkets found in the dirt. CALL: a singing that starts hoarse and ends low, which might be transcribed "ah-kyik kok-kraa-per kraa ah-kyik kok-kraa-per". NORTHERN COOT The northern coot is remarkable for its black breast and its golden beak. Northern coots can often be seen around northern beaches or at times in northern bushes. A bird living alone, they thrive in suburbs. CALL: a tuneful chattering which resembles "kok-kok chi-ai-per". RED-BEAKED BARBET The red-beaked barbet is remarkable for its red neck and its red beak. Red-beaked barbets may often be seen in western undergrowth or in beaches. Their diet consists primarily of seeds and driftwood-feeding insects. These birds live individually or in small groups. CALL: a hoarse "er-wee ah-per-kraa ai". GOLDEN-HEADED EAGLE The golden-headed eagle is notable for its red shoulder and its red crest. You are most likely to discover golden-headed eagles in northern beaches. There, they can sometimes be found consuming shorebirds. With many of their kind, they travel long distances annualy to the same sites in the West in the fall, to perish. CALL: a hoarse "kyik-ah kraa-er ERai-rik chi". RED-THROATED SWIFT The red-throated swift resembles the red-necked swift but is much larger than it, possessing a red neck and yellow wing. Red-throated swifts often occupy western bushes or undergrowth where they usually subsist on seeds, worms, and berries. They can typically be told apart by their mottled heads and beaks. With many of their kind, they seek hot currents of wind to fly slowly on. CALL: a melodic singing which might be transcribed "kok-ka ka-ah oo kok-ka ka-ah". PRAIRIE COOT The prairie coot is somewhat larger than the crimson-tailed coot, and has a red tail and brown throat. They have mottled shoulders and oversized breasts. Prairie coots may occasionally be found in western lakes or in treetops. Their diet consists primarily of freshwater fish. These solitary birds collect bright trinkets found in the dirt. CALL: a sort of groaning - first abrasive then low "pip-pip ou-ka". SOUTHERN SWIFT The southern swift is as large as the whistling swift and is notable for its brown throat and gray neck. Southern swifts can occasionally be spotted around southern pine stands or at times in southern cliffsides. Its' conspicuous mottled head most often lets you identify one. They are found around the homes of the singing duck. CALL: a hoarse "er-ai rik-pip pip". GOLDEN-BREASTED GULL A relative of the red-throated gull, the golden-breasted gull is as large as it, and has a golden head and golden breast. Golden-breasted gulls feed on rockfish and skates in southern cliffsides. One can be told apart by its speckled beak and its' striped head. These birds live in flocks. CALL: a abrasive chattering which might be transcribed "ah-per pip-kraa ah-per pip-kraaKLIP". FOREST VULTURE We know nothing about the forest vulture. WHITE-SHOULDERED SWIFT The white-shouldered swift resembles the brown-tailed swift but is as large as it, with a black tail and yellow neck. White-shouldered swifts feed on fruits and nuts in western treetops. These birds travel around a pond, across a field, or to the other side of a mountain to the East in the winter, to raise their young, in flocks. CALL: a screeching that starts melodic and ends high, which resembles "OUklip-ka-tee". FOREST EGRET We know nothing about the forest egret. YELLOW-TAILED SWALLOW The yellow-tailed swallow resembles the arctic swallow but is larger than it, with a golden neck and brown beak. Yellow-tailed swallows may often be observed in northern tundra or in mountain tops. Their diet consists primarily of seeds and nuts. They have speckled breasts and narrow throats. A bird living in large congregations, they are found around the homes of the golden-necked egret. CALL: a squawking that starts high and ends hoarse, which resembles "TEEkraa-per-tee TEEkraa-per-teeAI".