Ostrich

Scientific Name: Struthio camelus

Range / Habitat: Year-round in savannah and dry grassland throughout much of Africa.

Field Notes: Large, flightless bird, unmistakable in range. 

Personal Notes: Seen in captivity at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Mottled Duck

Scientific Name: Anas fulvigula

Population Estimate: 170K

Range / Habitat: Wetlands year-round in Florida, costal areas of Texas and along the Gulf coast area of Mexico

Field Notes: Plumage intermediate between a female Mallard and American Black Duck (though it does not appreciably overlap in range with the latter). Blue speculum is bordered in black, not white. Gape is dark and bill without dark splotches as seen in female Mallard.

Personal Notes: The above photos taken at Disney's Animal Kingdom lodge, but were of course, not captive. We're fairly certain the nearest bird is the Mottled Duck but unsure about the far bird (female Mallard or Mallard x Mottled Duck hybrid). We later definitively saw them in the Palm Beach Polo and Country Club later. No Mallards in sight. 

Egyptian Goose

Scientific Name: Alopochen aegyptiaca

Population Estimate: 210-510K

Range / Habitat: Year-round in wetlands of Africa. Feral populations exist in California and Europe.

Field Notes: Small goose, distinctive in range.

Personal Notes: Seen at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. Later found a small breeding population in Palm Beach Polo. 

Bar-headed Goose

Scientific Name: Anser indicus

Population Estimate: 52-60K

Range / Habitat: Breeds in high-altitude lake areas of Central Asia. Migrates over the Himalayas and winters in cultivated fields in parts of India, Burma, Pakistan.

Field Notes: Medium-sized grey goose with distinctive barring on head. Yellow bill and legs.

Personal Notes: Seen at Disney's Animal Kingdom

Hamerkop

Scientific Name: Scopus umbretta

Population Estimate: 170K - 1.1M

Range / Habitat: Year-round in wetland habitats of sub-Saharan African, Madagascar and parts of the Middle East.

Field Notes: Only member of its genus. Medium-sized wading bird, all brown. When neck extended, head resembles a hammer.

Personal Notes: Seen at Disney's Animal Kingdom

Vulturine Guineafowl

Scientific Name: Acryllium vulturinum

Range / Habitat: Year-round in dry savannah and shrubland of east Africa.

Field Notes: Unmistakable in range as above. The largest of all guineafowl.

Personal Notes: Seen at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Purple Starling

Scientific Name: Lamprotornis purpureus

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Year-round in dry savannah and shrubland of central Africa.

Field Notes: Typical starling habitus with dark glossy body and light blue-green wings. Short tail, black bill, yellow eye.

Personal Notes: Seen at Disney's Animal Kingdom

White-headed Duck

Scientific Name: Oxyura leucocephala

Population Estimate: 8-13K, Endangered status

Range / Habitat: Freshwater in Spain, Algeria, Tunisia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan.

Field Notes: Small, stiff-tailed diving duck. Distinctive in range.

Personal Notes: Originally seen in captivity at Disney's Animal Kingdom, but then later found in the wild in southern Spain. 

Tufted Duck

Scientific Name: Aythya fuligula

Population Estimate: 2.6-2.9M, Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Prefers wetlands and lakes throughout Europe and Asia. Breeding in Iceland, western and northern Europe and northern Russia. Range will extend south to southern Asia and northern Africa in the winter. Rare migrant to costal US and Canada.

Field Notes: Medium-sized diving duck named for conspicuous tuft on back of head. Overall iridescent dark with white on sides. Light blue bill with black tip. Greater Scaup has white extending onto back.

Personal Notes: Seen first at Disney's Animal Kingdom and later in the wild in Kew Gardens, London. Large breeding numbers seen at a Lake Myvatn in Iceland. 

Black Crake

Scientific Name: Amaurornis flavirostra

Population Estimate: 1M

Range / Habitat: Year-round in wetlands of sub-Saharan Africa.

Field Notes: Medium-sized black wading bird with orange feet, yellow bill, and red eye.

Personal Notes: Seen at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Grey Crowned Crane

Scientific Name: Balearica regulorum

Population Estimate: 47-59K, Vulnerable status

Range / Habitat: Year-round in parts of eastern and southern Africa, preferring grassland adjacent to wetlands.

Field Notes: Distinctive crane, as above. Black Crowned-crane similar but neck is black, not light grey.

Personal Notes: Seen at International Crane Foundation and at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Wattled Crane

Scientific Name: Grus carunculatus

Population Estimate: 6-8K, Vulnerable status

Range / Habitat: Year-round in wetlands of southern Africa and Ethiopia.

Field Notes: Large black crane with white head and neck, black cap, and distinctive red wattle over face and bill. Unmistakable in range.

Personal Notes: Seen at the International Crane Foundation in Wisconsin.

Whooping Crane

Scientific Name: Grus americana

Population Estimate: 50-250, Endangered status

Range / Habitat: Found in fields near water. Summers on reserves in Canada and Wisconsin. Winters on reserves in Texas and Florida.

Field Notes: Tallest bird in North America. All-white crane with black wing-tips and red forehead and cheek. Call is a single, bugle-like note. Sandhill Crane is overall grey / brown with a distinctive rattling call.

Personal Notes: Seen in captivity at the International Crane Foundation near Necedah NWR. Only 15 adults of this species remained in 1938, but it has been increased to current levels through active breeding programs and guided migration via ultralight planes.

Greater Prairie Chicken

Scientific Name: Tympanuchus cupido

Population Estimate: 460K, Vulnerable status

Range / Habitat: Year-round in open grasslands of the Dakotas, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Oklahoma.

Field Notes: Unmistakable in range. Chicken-sized bird known for its mating ritual on communal leks.

Personal Notes: Despite cold, rainy, windy weather, had a great time viewing these birds on Carl Flaig's farm.

Marbled Duck

Scientific Name: Marmaronetta angustirostris

Population Estimate: 14-26K, Vulnerable

Range / Habitat: Shallow and seasonally-flooded lands in the Middle East, parts of Asia, northern Africa.

Field Notes: Medium-sized duck that dabbles, upends, and dives. Intricate marbled plumage as above, dark eye patch.

Personal Notes: Initially seen at Minnesota Zoo but later seen in the wild in Spain. Also known as Marbled Teal.

Ringed Teal

Scientific Name: Callonetta leucophrys

Population Estimate: 10-100K

Range / Habitat: Prefers inland bogs / marshes / swamps in eastern South America, breeding in Argentina and Paraguay. Also found in forests and around other inland wetlands.

Field Notes: Small dabbling duck. Male unmistakable as above. Species lacks an eclipse plumage.

Personal Notes: Seen at Minnesota Zoo.

Ferruginous Duck

Scientific Name: Aythya nyroca

Population Estimate: 160-260K, Near Threatened

Range / Habitat: Inland freshwater lakes in Europe, mainland Asia and into northern Africa.

Field Notes: Medium-sized diving duck with chestnut head and sides, black back and white undertail and belly. Yellow eye.

Personal Notes: Seen at Minnesota Zoo.

Red-breasted Goose

Scientific Name: Branta ruficollis

Population Estimate: 37K, Endangered

Range / Habitat: Breeds in the Arctic tundra of Russia, winters in grasslands and inland wetlands of Eastern Europe.

Field Notes: Unmistakable in range as above.

Personal Notes: Seen at Minnesota Zoo.

Mandarin Duck

Scientific Name: Aix galericulata

Population Estimate: 65K

Range / Habitat: Temperate forest and inland freshwater lakes in mainland China, Japan, Korea.

Field Notes: Unmistakable in range, as above. Similar appearance and habitat to North American Wood Duck.

Personal Notes: Seen at Minnesota Zoo.

Bali Myna

Scientific Name: Leucopsar rothschildi

Population Estimate: <50 individuals in the wild, Critically Endangered

Range / Habitat: Endemic to Bali

Field Notes: Medium-sized passerine, unmistakable in range.

Personal Notes: Seen at Minnesota Zoo. There were thought to be fewer than 10 individuals in the wild twenty years ago. Now there are at least 300 individuals in breeding programs in North American zoos plus nearly 40 individuals in the wild. Also known as Bali Starling.

Grosbeak Starling

Scientific Name: Scissirostrum dubium

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Tropical / subtropical lowland moist forest of Indonesia.

Field Notes: Medium-sized passerine, dark grey with conspicuously large yellow bill and yellow legs. Found in flocks like most starlings.

Personal Notes: Seen at Minnesota Zoo. Also known as Finch-billed Myna.

Lesser Flamingo

Scientific Name: Phoeniconaias minor

Population Estimate: 2.2-3.2M, Near Threatened status

Range / Habitat: Brackish areas both costal and inland in southern Africa (primarily in Great Rift Valley) and Madagascar, occasionally further north.

Field Notes: Size reportedly overlaps with Greater Flamingo, range may be distinct. Regardless, Lesser Flamingo is overall more pink with black base to bill and pink tip.

Personal Notes: Seen at Minnesota Zoo and then at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Yellow-throated Laughingthrush

Scientific Name: Garrulax galbanus

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Lowland wet grassland in India and Myanmar

Field Notes: Plumage as above.

Personal Notes: Seen at Minnesota Zoo.

Nicobar Pigeon

Scientific Name: Caloenas nicobarica

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Near Threatened status

Range / Habitat: Lowland forest, shrubland, mangrove on Southeast Asian islands, but also on mainland India and nearby areas.

Field Notes: Large pigeon with dramatic plumage as above.

Personal Notes: Seen at Minnesota Zoo and Disney's Animal Kingdom

Common Emerald Dove

Scientific Name: Chalcophaps indica

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Lowland forests, mangrove swamps, and a variety of other habitats throughout South and Southeast Asia.

Field Notes: Medium-sized dove, striking green wings, light blue cap, orange bill.

Personal Notes: Also known as Green-winged Dove. Seen at Minnesota Zoo and Disney's Animal Kingdom. Some sources consider the Australian bird, Pacific Emerald Dove, the same species. 

Asian Fairy-bluebird

Scientific Name: Irena puella

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Tropical / subtropical forest throughout South and Southeast Asia.

Field Notes: Medium-side passerine with striking black and blue plumage and amber-coloured eye.

Personal Notes: Seen at Minnesota Zoo.

Oriental Magpie-Robin

Scientific Name: Copsychus saularis

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Subtropical / tropical forest extending into urban areas in South and Southeast Asia.

Field Notes: Medium-sized black and white passerine once considered member of Turdus genus. Large, crossed bill. Male as above, female is lighter on head / chest / back. Often seen with tail cocked when foraging.

Personal Notes: Seen at Minnesota Zoo.

Great Argus

Scientific Name: Argusianus argus

Population Estimate: 100K

Range / Habitat: Subtropical / tropical lowland moist forest in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar

Field Notes: Unmistakable in range.

Personal Notes: Seen at Minnesota Zoo. Also known as Malay Great Argus Pheasant.

Peruvian Thick-knee

Scientific Name: Burhinus superciliaris

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Lowland pasture and grassland in Chile, Ecuador, Peru

Field Notes: Plover-sized bird of the prairie. Overall brown with large blue eye, thin blue legs with prominent knee, and distinctive black swath above eye.

Personal Notes: Seen at the Minnesota Zoo

Golden-crested Myna

Scientific Name: Ampeliceps coronatus

Population Estimate: Unknown, but Least Concern status

Range / Habitat: Lowland moist forest throughout most of mainland Asia

Field Notes: Medium-sized passerine with distinctive plumage as above.

Personal Notes: Seen at the Minnesota Zoo.

Victoria Crowned Pigeon

Scientific Name: Goura victoria

Population Estimate: 2.5-10K, Vulnerable

Range / Habitat: Lowland forest in Paupa New Guinea and Indonesia

Field Notes: Unmistakable in range.

Personal Notes: Seen at the Minnesota Zoo and Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Yellow-eyed Junco

Scientific Name: Junco phaeonotus

Population Estimate: 20M

Range / Habitat: Year-round through the southwestern US and throughout Mexico. Preferred habitat is high altitude grassland, shrubland, and forest.

Field Notes: Distinctive plumage as above. Typical Junco behavior: found in groups foraging on the ground then will make a hasty retreat to higher perches. Distinctive fan-like tail in flight with white-flashes on the sides. There are similar-colored variations of Dark-eyed Junco, but the eye color is determinant. Also, per Sibley, the dark-eyed varieties hop on the ground whereas the yellow-eyed birds walk.

Personal Notes: We were more than happy to take a break from summiting Xinantecatl in central Mexico to observe these birds.

Clay-colored Sparrow

Scientific Name: Spizella pallida

Population Estimate: 23M

Range / Habitat: Summers in upper midwestern US and central Canada. Winters throughout Mexico. Found in a variety of habitats including grassland and shrubland, inland water areas.

Field Notes: Above bird in nonbreeding plumage. Sparrow with clear breast and distinct facial markings, particularly the "mustache" and lateral throat stripe. Chipping Sparrow in nonbreeding plumage has duskier chest, more prominent supercilium, darker lores.

Personal Notes: A "random sparrow on a cactus" photo Richard took on our walk out of Teotihuacan.

Western Bluebird

Scientific Name: Sialia mexicana

Population Estimate: 1.4M

Range / Habitat: A bird of open forests found in the American West and throughout Mexico.

Field Notes: Medium-sized songbird, small thrush. Male with bright blue on wings, tail and head. Chest and flanks rufous, belly white with some blue, as in lower photo. Female more subdued, as above. Eastern Bluebird with rufous throat, no rufous on shoulders or back, no blue on belly. Mountain Bluebird with same brilliant blue but no rufous. 

Personal Notes: A nice surprise for us in Central Mexico.