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Pechora Pipit: Small, shy pipit with heavily streaked, dark brown upperparts. The breast, sides, and flanks are washed yellow with heavy black streaks. Belly and outer tail feathers are white. It is named after the Pechora River Valley in northeastern Russia, where it breeds and nests.
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Hoary Redpoll: Small finch (exilipes), buff-gray, brown-streaked upperparts and brown-streaked white underparts washed pink. Head has red cap, black chin patch. Black wings with two white bars. Rump is pale gray or white with few or no streaks. Black tail is notched. Black legs and feet.
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Pallas's Bunting: Medium bunting, gray-brown upperparts with black streaks. Lower breast, belly, and undertail coverts are white. Head, throat and upper breast are black. Collar and moustache stripe are white. Tail is black with white outer feathers and corners. Black bill, legs, feet.
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Olive-backed Pipit: Medium-sized pipit with finely streaked, olive-green upperparts. White underparts, chin, belly and undertail coverts. The sides and breast are pale brown with bold dark streaks. The eyebrow is buff-orange in front and white behind eye. The legs and feet are pink.
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Aztec Thrush: Large thrush, dark-streaked, brown-black upperparts, head, upper breast. Underparts are white with dark brown mottled flanks. Wings are dark with white shoulders and tips. Dark tail with broad white tip. Pink-gray legs, feet. Swift direct flight on rapidly beating wings.
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Swainson's Thrush: Medium-sized thrush (swainsoni), with dull olive-brown or olive-gray upperparts, pale buff eye-ring, dark moustache stripe, and brown-spotted buff throat and breast, and white belly. Legs and feet are pink-gray. Flies in a swift, direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Bluethroat: Small thrush with brown upperparts, striking blue bib with rust-brown central spot, black and brown-orange bands across breast, thick white eyebrow, and white underparts. Tail is dark with rust-brown base. Rather swift, deliberate direct flight on rapidly beating wings.
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Saltmarsh Sparrow: Small sparrow, pale-streaked gray back, white throat, heavily streaked buff breast and sides, white belly. Head has dark cap, thick, orange-brown eyebrows and gray ear patches. Gray wings with orange-brown shoulders. Brown tail is pointed.
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Wood Thrush: Medium thrush, rust-brown upperparts, white underparts with heavy dark brown spots. Eye-rings are white. Black bill has creamy pink base on lower mandible. In the early 1900s, its range began to expand north, forcing the Veery and Hermit thrushes to find another habitat.
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Red-headed Woodpecker: Medium-sized woodpecker with black upperparts and tail, and white underparts and rump. The head, throat, and upper breast are dark red. Wings are black with large white patches. Bill, legs and feet are black. This is the only woodpecker in the east with a completely red head.
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Tufted Titmouse: The largest titmouse, it has gray upperparts, pale gray underparts, rust-brown flanks. Head has dark gray cap and crest, pale gray face, and white eye-ring. Bill is black. Wings and tail are gray. Legs and feet are gray. Most spend their entire lives not far from their birthplace.
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Veery: Medium-sized thrush with rust-brown upperparts, indistinct pale gray eye-ring, white underparts, and faint rust-brown spots on the breast. Dark race has gray-brown upperparts and breast spots. The male sings a lovely, ethereal downward-slurring song at sunset. Shy and retiring.
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Reed Bunting: Medium-sized finch with dark-streaked brown upperparts and faintly streaked, white underparts. Head and throat are black; moustache stripe and collar are distinctly white, and tail is white-edged. Short, low flights, alternates rapid wing beats with wings pulled to sides.
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McKay's Bunting: Large bunting, bright white body, black wing tips, black markings on back and tail. Large bill, legs, and feet are black. Said to be the whitest of all North American songbirds. Forages on ground. Swift flight, alternates raping wing beats with wings pulled to sides.
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Horned Lark: Medium-sized lark with pale or dark brown upperparts and white underparts. Face and throat are pale yellow to white and mask, cap, and ear tufts are black. Tail is dark with white edges. Forages on ground, usually in open fields. Eats seeds, grains, insects and small mollusks.
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Stonechat: Small thrush with black back and white rump. Underparts are white except for orange breast. Head is black and collar is white. Wings are black with white stripes. Tail is black. Female is paler overall with brown head and buff rump. Found in open meadows and marsh edges. Forages for insects on ground; also picks off vegetation.
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La Sagra's Flycatcher: Medium flycatcher, gray-brown upperparts, slight crest, white underparts with pale yellow wash on belly, undertail coverts. Wings have two white bars, dark brown primaries with rufous edging. Long, dark tail has rufous edges on outer feathers. Black legs, feet.
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Gray Kingbird: Large flycatcher with gray upperparts, black mask, inconspicuous red crown patch, and mostly white underparts with pale yellow wash on belly and undertail coverts. Bill is long and black. Wings and notched tail are dark. Fluttering direct flight on shallow wing beats.
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Fork-tailed Flycatcher: Medium-sized flycatcher with pale gray upperparts, black head, inconspicuous yellow crown stripe, and white underparts. Wings and spectacularly long, deeply forked tail are black. Wing linings are white. Swift flight with shallow wing beats. Feeds on insects.
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Loggerhead Kingbird: Large flycatcher, olive-brown upperparts, dark head with inconspicuous yellow crown patch, white underparts, and pale yellow wash on lower belly. Wings are brown-black with white edges; tail is brown-black with buff-edged tip. Feeds on insects, berries and lizards.
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Ladder-backed Woodpecker: Small woodpecker with black-and-white barred upperparts, shoulders, and wings, underparts are buff-gray with black spots, buff-gray face, red crown, and black forehead, nape, rump, and tail. Outer tail feathers are white barred. Bill, legs and feet are black.
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Golden-fronted Woodpecker: Medium-sized woodpecker with black-and-white barred back and wings, white rump and black tail. Head has golden yellow-orange nape, red cap, small yellow patch at base of upper mandible, and buff-gray face. Underparts are gray-white. Black bill, legs and feet.
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Gilded Flicker: Large woodpecker with dark barred and spotted brown back, brown cap, pale gray face and throat, red moustache stripe, white rump, thick black crescent on upper breast, and black spotted, pale buff underparts. It was named for the gold color of its underwings and tail.
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Black-whiskered Vireo: Large vireo with olive-green upperparts and olive-buff washed white underparts. The head has gray crown, dark whiskers (moustache stripe) along sides of throat, white eyebrow with black border, and red-brown eyes. The bill is black, straight, and slightly hooked.
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Plumbeous Vireo: Medium vireo, gray back, white throat and underparts, olive-gray sides, yellow-washed flanks. Crown, nape, and face are gray; eye-rings appear as large, white spectacles. Wings are dark gray with two white bars. Tail is short with white edges. Blue-gray legs and feet.
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Bicknell's Thrush: Small thrush, olive-brown upperparts, buff breast with brown spots, white or buff belly. Eye has faint gray ring. Upper mandible black with pale base, lower mandible yellow with black tip. Tail, rump have rust-brown wash. Swift, direct flight with jerky wing strokes.
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Gray-cheeked Thrush: Small thrush (minimus), with olive-brown upperparts, buff-brown breast with brown spots, and white or buff belly. Gray eye-ring is indistinct. Upper mandible is black with pale base, while lower mandible is yellow with black tip. Tail and rump have rust-brown wash.
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Cave Swallow: Small swallow (Southwest pelodoma), with steel-blue upperparts, white underparts, rufous wash on breast and sides. Forehead is chestnut-brown and throat and rump are buff. Tail is square. Swift, graceful flight, alternates several rapid, deep wing beats with long curving glides.
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Black-capped Vireo: Small vireo, olive-green upperparts, black hood, white spectacles interrupted with black above the eye, white underparts with olive-yellow flanks. Wings are dark with two pale bars. Iris is red-brown to red. It has been listed as an endangered species since 1987.
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Ivory-billed Woodpecker: Largest and rarest North American woodpecker, jet-black with white wing patches, large red crest, black chin, throat. Thick white stripes extend from bill to rear of wings. In flight, wings appear white with black tips and thick, black center stripe. Pale, large bill.
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Bahama Swallow: Medium-sized swallow with dark blue-green upperparts and cap extending below eye, and steel-blue wings, white chin, throat and underparts, and deeply forked tail. The bill, legs and feet are black. Swift, graceful flight, alternating rapid wing beats with long glides.
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Western Spindalis: Small tanager, black-gray back, dark rufous nape, rump. Throat patch is yellow, bib is red-black, breast and collar are yellow-orange, belly is white. Head is black-and-white striped. Dark gray bill. Wings are dark with white patches. Tail is black with white edges.
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Eastern Kingbird: Large flycatcher, blue-black back, wings, black tail with white terminal band, white underparts. Head is black, has inconspicuous red crown feathers visible when bird is displaying. Black bill, legs, feet. Fluttering stiff-winged direct flight with shallow wing beats.
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Yellow-throated Vireo: Large vireo, olive-gray upperparts, gray rump. Throat and breast are bright yellow, belly is white. Eyes are dark. Spectacles are yellow. Wings are dark with two white bars. Legs and feet are black. It is the most colorful member of its family in North America.
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Red-eyed Vireo: Medium vireo with olive-brown upperparts and white underparts. Head has a gray cap, white eyebrow, black eyestripe, and red eyes. Blue-gray legs and feet. Alternates short glides with series of rapid wingbeats. May hover briefly to pick berries or insects from foliage.
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Snow Bunting: Medium-sized, strikingly white sparrow with black back, central tail, and wing tips. Bill, legs and feet are black. Forages on ground for seeds, insects, larvae and caterpillars. Swift flight, alternates rapidly beating wings with brief periods of wings pulled to sides.
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Blue-footed Booby: Large, gull-like seabird with white body, brown wings and brown-streaked head and back. The blue-gray bill is long and stout. Legs and feet are powder blue. Plunge dives for fish from 50 feet above shallow water. Alternates rapid, deep wing beats with sailing glides.
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Lapland Longspur: Medium sparrow-like bird, brown-streaked black back. Underparts are white, streaked black on sides, flanks. Crown, face, and throat are black; nape is red-brown. Broad white stripe from eye to sides of breast. Bill is yellow with dark tip. Tail is long, white edges.
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Sage Thrasher: Small thrasher, gray upperparts, dark-streaked white underparts with pale brown wash. The head is gray, bill is short and slightly decurved. Wings are dark with thin,white bars. Tail is dark with white corners. Legs and feet are black. Fast flight on shallow wing beats.
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Bobolink: Small, lark-like blackbird, all-black except for buff nape, white rump, and white wing patches. Tertials and wing coverts are lined with buff. Tail feathers are sharply pointed. Legs and feet are gray. Eats caterpillars, insects, seeds and grains. Strong undulating flight.
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Lincoln's Sparrow: Medium sparrow, dark-streaked pale brown upperparts, white underparts with dark streaks. Head has brown crown with gray central stripe, and nape, pale eye-ring, and brown streak extending behind eye. Upper mandible is dark, lower mandible is pale orange-brown.
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Lesser Black-backed Gull: Medium-sized gull with dark gray back and wings. Head, neck and underparts are white. Rump and tail are white. Bill is yellow with red spot near tip. The wings have dark tips with white spots; legs and feet are yellow. Eyes are yellow with red orbital rings.
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Le Conte's Sparrow: Small sparrow, brown-streaked back, brown-streaked gray nape, pale gray underparts with streaks on sides, pale yellow breast. Head is flat with brown stripes. Face is pale yellow-orange with gray cheeks. Legs, feet are pink-brown.
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Little Gull: The smallest of all gulls, with pale gray upperparts and white nape, neck, breast, belly, and tail. Hood is black and extends onto upper neck. Underwings are dark. Bill is dark red with black tip. Legs and feet are red-orange. Strong direct flight with deep wing beats.
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White-tailed Ptarmigan: Small grouse, mottled brown overall, white on wings, breast, belly, red eye comb, white-edged brown tail, legs covered with white feathers. It is the smallest of the ptarmigans, and the only one that nests south of Canada. Lives most of its life above timberline.
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Willow Ptarmigan: Small grouse, rust-brown upperparts, head, breast, white eye-ring, orange-red eye comb, white wings, belly, leg feathers; brown tail. Unlike other ptarmigans, the male stays with the female and defends its nest-it is known to attack anything that comes to close.
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Thayer's Gull: Large gull, gray upperparts, white head, tail, underparts. Bill is yellow with red spot near the end of the lower mandible. Wings are gray with white-spotted, dark gray tips. Legs are dark pink. Direct flight, strong, steady wing beats, soars on thermals or updrafts.
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Red-footed Booby: The black-tailed white-morph is a small booby with white head, body, tail. Pale blue face has pink-based, pale blue bill. Flight feathers are black. Bright red legs, feet. Brown form is brown overall with darker flight feathers. Strong steady wing beats with glides.
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Stejneger's Petrel: Small petrel with gray-brown upperparts, dark gray rump, white underparts. Black head, nape, bill. White face. Gray-brown upperwing, black greater coverts and outer primaries forming an M pattern across lower back. Legs and feet are blue-gray. Gray-brown tail mottled with white.
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Vesper Sparrow: Medium sparrow, black-streaked gray-brown upperparts, white underparts, and streaked breast and sides. White face has brown cheek patch and white eye-ring. Wings are gray-brown with two pale bars and rufous shoulder patches. Tail is notched and dark with white edges.
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Manx Shearwater: Small shearwater with brown-black upperparts and white underparts, underwings and undertail coverts. Black head is darker than back. The bill is dark. Wings are long, slim, and straight. Tail is short and pointed. Feeds on fish and squid. Alternates long glides and rapid wing beats.
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Bell's Vireo: Small vireo, faint, broken eye-ring, thick, slightly flattened hooked bill, one or two faint wing bars. Upperparts are gray and underparts are white with pale yellow wash on sides. Eastern race has gray-green upperparts and distinct yellow wash on underparts. Legs and feet are gray.
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Audubon's Shearwater: Small, stocky seabird with dark brown upperparts and white underparts. Underwing coverts are white. Tail is dark brown with short, gray undertail coverts. Bill is dark and legs and feet are pink. Fish and squid make up most of its diet. Alternates rapid wing beats with glides.
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Barnacle Goose: Medium goose, distinctive white face, jet-black head, neck, and upper breast. Wings and back are silver-gray with black-and-white bars. Belly is white. V-shaped white rump patch and silver-gray underwing linings are visible in flight. Black bill,legs and feet. Strong direct flight.
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Alder Flycatcher: Small flycatcher with olive-brown upperparts, white underparts, and indistinct white eye-ring. Wings are olive-brown with two white or pale bars. Bill is short with orange lower mandible. Black legs and feet. Weak fluttering direct flight with shallow, rapid wing beats.
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Buller’s Shearwater: Medium shearwater, gray upperparts, white underparts. Head has white face, black cap, black bill. Tail is black. Legs and feet are pink. Dark gray M-pattern is visible across upperwings and back in flight. Alternates deep steady wing beats with long glides. Soars in high winds.
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Black-vented Shearwater: Medium shearwater, brown-black upperparts, white underparts, brown mottling on sides of breast and flanks. Tail is dark. Eats fish, crustaceans, and squid. Quick low flight with short stiff wingbeats followed by glide. Soars in high winds.
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Brown Booby: Large, gull-like seabird, mostly dark brown with white underwing coverts, belly, and vent. Blue-gray bill. Yellow legs and feet. Plunge dives from 30-50 feet. Feeds on parrot fish, flatfish, mullets, halfbeaks and other fish. Alternates strong rapid wing beats with glides.
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Masked Booby: Large seabird with white body, black trailing edge on wings, pointed black tail. Head has black mask and long, pointed, yellow bill. Legs and feet are yellow-gray. Plunge dives from 40 feet for small squid and flying fish. Alternates strong rapid wing beats with glides.
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Northern Fulmar Light Morph: Large gull-like bird with gray upperparts and white underparts, head, neck, and tail. Dark morph has uniformly dark gray body and paler primaries. Bill is short, thick, and yellow with a tube on top. Flight alternates stiff wing beats with periods of gliding and banking.
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Streaked Shearwater: Large shearwater with scaled, dark gray-brown upperparts, white underparts. White head has variable light to heavy pale brown streaks. Uppertail coverts can be white, forming a pale "horseshoe." The forehead is white. Bill is pale. Legs and feet are pink. Eats small fish and squid. Flies with loose, angled wings. Light, graceful flapping and gliding.
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Cook's Petrel: Small petrel, slate-gray back and upperwings marked by a distinctive black M pattern. Underparts, underwings are white. Face is white with small, dark mask. Wings are long and slender. Tail is gray, black-tipped central feathers and white edges. Black bill, blue-gray legs and feet.
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Great Shearwater: Large shearwater, scaled, gray-brown upperparts, white underparts, brown markings on belly. Dark cap contrasts with white face. Tail is dark above with conspicuous white rump band and gray below. Dark, hooked bill. Pink legs, feet. Flies on deep wing beats followed by long glide.
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Yellow-footed Gull: Large, dark-backed, white gull with distinctive yellow legs. Bulbous bill is yellow, red spot near tip of lower mandible. Upper wings are dark gray with white spots near tips, white trailing edges. Strong, direct flight with deep, steady wing beats. Rides thermals and updrafts.
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Sandwich Tern: Only medium-sized tern with long slender black bill tipped with yellow; upperparts are very pale gray, nearly white, and underparts are white. The black crown has a short black crest. White tail is deeply forked; legs and feet are black. Direct flight, hovers before diving for fish.
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Ross's Gull: The pink gull of the high Arctic. Small gull, pale gray upperparts, gray-white nape, white neck with thin black collar, and white, wedge-shaped tail; underparts are variably pink. Black bill is very short; legs, feet are orange-red. Often feeds on mudflats like a wader.
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Yellow-legged Gull: Large white gull, medium gray upperparts and red spot on bright yellow bill; legs and feet are yellow. Tail is white. Wades or makes shallow dives to catch food, steals, scavenges. Strong, direct flight with deep, steady wing beats. Rides thermals and updrafts, sometimes hovers.
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Falcated Duck: Medium dabbling duck with long black and white tertial feathers extending over black rump. Body white, black, gray in finely-scaled pattern. The crested iridescent head is green and purple-brown. White throat has black ring; black tail and black-green speculum are edged in white.
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Common House-Martin: Small swallow, metallic dark blue mantle and crown; wings and tail are black-gray. Forked tail. Solid white rump distinguishes it from other swallows. Legs covered in white down. Flight is graceful, swift and direct on rapidly beating wings. It soars on wide triangular wings.
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Northern Gannet: Very large seabird. White overall with black primaries and long pointed wings. Light yellow wash on crown of head extending down nape may be visible. Bill, legs, and feet are gray. Dives for fish and squid. Alternates rapid wing beats with short glides. Soars to great heights.
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Red-legged Kittiwake: Small Alaskan gull white overall with gray back and wings, small yellow bill and bright red legs. Black wingtips. Eats small fish, squid, and marine zooplankton. Graceful, bouyant flight with rapid, shallow wing beats. Hovers briefly above prey before dipping down to sieze it.
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Slaty-backed Gull: Large gull, slate-gray back, upper wings; dark outer primaries separated from mantle by row of white spots. Gray underside of primaries; broad white trailing edge to wings. Bright pink legs, feet. Yellow eyes with red orbital ring. Yellow bill has red spot near tip.
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Roseate Tern: White below with slight, variable pinkish cast visible in good light; pale gray above with black cap, nape and deeply forked tail that projects well beyond wingtips at rest. Bill mostly black with some red at base; legs and feet are red-orange. Graceful, direct flight.
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Little Ringed Plover: Small, slim plover with brown upperparts and white collar. Bill, lores, forehead, auriculars, and breast band dark, contrasting with white forecrown and white bar behind the dark crown. Conspicuous eye-ring is yellow; legs are dull pink-yellow. Does not show wing bar in flight.
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Sooty Tern: Medium-sized tern with long wings, deeply forked tail, black crown, nape, and upperparts, and a broad triangular white forehead patch. Underparts are white; upper tail is black with white outer edges. Direct flight with strong, shallow wing beats. Hovers before dipping for prey.
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Little Shearwater: Tiny shearwater, dark brown upperparts and white underparts; dark cap extends only to eye. Bill is short and black. Swims and dives for food, picks food off surface of water. Feeds on fish and squid. Flight is low, fast and straight, alternates rapid wing beats and banking glides.
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Little Egret: Medium-sized, all white egret with plumes on head, breast, and back. Legs are black with yellow feet. Black bill, and yellow lores. Nonbreeding adult lacks head and back plumes, has gray lores, and shows yellow on lower legs. Difficult to distinguish from Snowy Egret. Flight is direct.
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Ivory Gull: A pure white gull whose entire life is restricted to the edge of the floating pack ice. Legs dark, bill dusky with yellow tip. It eats fish, insects, lemmings and crustaceans, and is also an active scavenger. Bouyant, graceful flight. Often flies with feet trailing and dangling below.
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Red-whiskered Bulbul: Introduced to parts of North America as escaped caged birds. Brown upperparts, black crested head, mask, partial collar, orange-red patch behind eye, white cheek patch. Underparts are white with brown wash. Eats berries, fruits and insects. Direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Red-crested Cardinal: Native to South America. Bright red head, crest, face, chin and upperbreast. Upperparts are gray with an incomplete white collar that nearly meets at the back of the neck. Underparts are white. Light gray bill, gray legs and feet. Undulating flight.
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Chinese Egret: Population is seriously declining due to competition for living space with humans and other egrets. White overall with shaggy crest, blue-green lores, orange-yellow bill, and black legs with yellow feet. Has been seen feeding on mudflats and tidal flats with other egrets and herons.
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White Ibis: This coastal species is white overall with pink facial skin, bill, and legs that turn scarlet during breeding season. Black tips on the primary feathers are only seen in flight. Flies in straight line formation with neck and legs outstretched, roosts high in trees and bushes at night.
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White Tern: Medium-sized tern, also called Common Fairy-tern, snow white overall, dark eyes and black eyerings make it appear to have large eyes. Notched tail. Wings and tail may appear translucent when overhead. Bill is black with dark blue base, legs and feet are blue-gray.
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Hawaiian Petrel: Medium-sized tube-nosed seabird with white front and cheeks, black upperparts, and white underparts. Squared, medium-length tail, long, pointed wings, and erratic, arching and diving flight.
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Palila: Large finch-billed honeycreeper, endemic to Hawaii. Yellow head with black lores, seperated from gray back by distinct line. Breast is yellow, belly is white and back is gray. Wings and tail are olive-green. Bill, legs, and feet are black. Strong, bouncy flight with steady wingbeats.
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Yellow-billed Cardinal: Native to South America and increasing in numbers on Hawaii, has bright red head, black upperparts and incomplete white collar that nearly meets at the back of the neck. White underparts, black chin and throat. Yellow bill, legs and feet are brown-pink. Undulating flight.
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Bumblebee Hummingbird: One of the smallest hummingbirds at 2.75 inches with green upperparts, sides, and white underparts. The gorget is violet-red and the rounded tail is green with a rufous base. This bird can hover in a horizontal positon with it's tail cocked vertical as it feeds on nectar.
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White-faced Storm-Petrel: The only Atlantic storm-petrel with the combination of dark gray upperparts and white underparts with a dark cap and eyeline. Long black legs trail behind squared tail in flight. Webbing between toes is yellow. Alternates rapid, shallow wing beats with stiff-winged glides.
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Black-browed Albatross: White head, neck, underparts, and black back, tail. Yellow bill with red tip, pale pink-gray legs and feet. Easily identified by black tail, stiff wing beats and long narrow pointed wings. Soars effortlessly for long periods of time, may circle and glide for long distances.
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White-collared Seedeater: Small finch with short, thick, curved bill, yellow-gray overall with black head, wings, and round tail; the back is gray. Wings show two white bars. Eats seeds and insects. Weak fluttering flight, alternates rapid wing beats with brief periods of wings pulled to the sides.
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Belcher's Gull: Formerly known as the Band-tailed Gull. Has a mostly white body with black back, distinctive black tail band, yellow legs, feet. Black wings with white trailing edges. Yellow bill; lower mandible tipped with red, upper mandible tipped with black. Strong direct flight.
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Greater Scaup: Large diving duck with glossy green-black head, white sides and belly, black tail, neck and breast, barred gray flanks and back. Eyes are yellow. Bill is blue-gray with a black tip. Feeds on insects, plants, vertebrates and mollusks. Rapid direct flight with strong rapid wing beats.
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Common Eider: Large diving duck (v-nigrum), with distinctive sloping forehead, black body, white breast and back. Crown is black and nape is pale green. Wings are white with black primary and secondary feathers. Tail and rump are black. Bill is dull yellow to gray-green (eastern) or orange-yellow (western).
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Yellow-nosed Albatross: Pelagic albatross with pale gray head, neck, rump, black back, upperwings, white underparts and black margin around white underwings. Red-tipped black bill has yellow patch on upper mandible. Gray legs, feet. Glides and soars for hours with minor adjustments to wing position.
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Large-billed Tern: Dark gray mantle and short dark gray tail; black cap; white breast, belly, chin, cheeks, and throat; black primaries to the bend of the wing are striking in flight; white secondaries; distinctive large yellow bill. Yellow legs, feet. Direct flight with strong shallow wing beats.
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Bermuda Petrel: Medium petrel, gray-brown upperparts shading to black on rump; white underparts except for dusky sides of upper breast. Base of tail has white band. White face, forehead. Black-brown cap goes to eyes. In flight shows black-gray upperwings, white underwings with black margins, tips.
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Aleutian Tern: A medium tern, with white forehead, black cap, eyeline, bill, and legs. Upperparts and underparts are gray with white rump and tail. Undertail coverts, cheeks, and area below cap are white. Juvenile is buff and brown on top and flanks, with pale gray underparts. Wing projects beyond tip of tail at rest. Strong direct flight with deep wing beats, often high above water.
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White-tailed Tropicbird: A large bird, white with long black bar on upperwing coverts, outer primaries. Black loral mask which extends through and past eye. Bill is yellow to orange. Tail streamers are white and can be up to seventeen inches long. Legs and feet are yellowish, black webbing on toes.
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Black-capped Petrel: Large petrel with white underparts, dark brown to black back and upper wings, black cap, and white collar (this field mark is missing in some birds). Tail is long, dark, and wedge-shaped; underwings show broad dark margins. Hooked bill is dark, legs are pink. High arcing flight.
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Common Sandpiper: Eurasian counterpart to the Spotted Sandpiper; has dusky gray upperparts, heavily streaked breast, and sparkling white underparts. Best distinguished by its habit of standing in a semi-crouch and bobbing back and forth. Flies low over water with stiff shallow wing beats and glides.
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Swallow-tailed Kite: The largest of North America kites, has black upperparts which contrast with white head and underparts. In flight it shows long pointed wings with black flight feathers and white wing linings. Has a 15-16 inch-long black tail with deep fork. The neck, breast and belly are white.
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Fea's Petrel: Medium petrel, gray-brown upperparts, white belly. White breast with partial gray-brown breast band. Wings bend back at the wrist, have a dark M pattern across upperwings and lower back. Underwings are mostly dark. White face, dark mask around eyes. Gray tail, pale uppertail coverts.
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Red-breasted Flycatcher: Gray-brown flycatcher, gray-brown buff breast, white belly. Throat and upper breast show a red-orange patch. Tail and uppertail coverts are black. Face and sides of breast are dark gray, white eye-ring. Sides of belly and undertail coverts are white. Black bill, legs, feet.
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American Three-toed Woodpecker: Medium woodpecker with black-and-white barred upperparts, black head, yellow crown, white eye-line, throat, breast, and belly, and diagonally barred white flanks. Wings are black with white spots; rump is black; tail is black with white outer feathers.
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Arizona Woodpecker: Small woodpecker with brown upperparts and heavily spotted and barred white underparts. The forehead and crown are brown, nape patch is red, and throat is white. Face is white with a large, brown cheek patch, creating a white eyebrow and line from the bill to neck.
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Red-cockaded Woodpecker: Medium woodpecker, black-and-white barred back, black cap, nape, white face, throat, breast, black-spotted sides, flanks, belly. Dark eye-line ends in red cockade at rear of cap. Black wings have white bars. Black tail has black-spotted white outer feathers.
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Atlantic Puffin: Medium seabird with black upperparts, white underparts, white face, and large, parrot-like, orange and gray bill. Eyes surrounded by orange and black markings; legs and feet are bright orange. The only puffin nesting on the Atlantic Coast. Swift direct flight.
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Gray-streaked Flycatcher: Small flycatcher with gray-brown upperparts and dark streaked white underparts. Tail is short and notched; wings are gray-brown with faint white wing bar. Undertail coverts are white. Face shows white eye-ring and distinct brown malar mark; throat is white. Bill is black.
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Razorbill: Large seabird with black head, neck, upperparts, white line from bill to eye, and white underparts. Large, wedge-shaped bill is black with a central, thin white band. Black legs and feet. Feeds on fish, marine worms, squid and crustaceans. Swift low direct flight.
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Dovekie: Small seabird with black upperparts and hood, white underparts, and stubby, black, sparrow-like bill. Wings are black with thin white trailing edge, visible when folded, and dark underwings. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats, usually flies low over the water.
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Short-tailed Hawk: Small hawk of grass and woodland habitat in Florida. Occurs in two color morphs: Dark morph adult is uniformly dark brown with thin dark bands on a dull white tail. In flight shows white flight feathers with thin dark bands and dark wingtips. The light morph has white underparts.
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Black-tailed Gull: Large gull with white head, neck, breast, and underparts; light charcoal-gray wings and back; large yellow bill with black ring above red tip; pale yellow eyes with red orbital ring; short yellow legs and feet; long wings; telltale short black tail with white edge.
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Spectacled Eider: Smallest of the Eiders, has orange bill, white upperparts, black underparts, breast, sides, black pointed tail, yellow-green head and large white "goggles" bordered with black. White feathers on the upper mandible extend past nostril. Rapid direct flight in straight line formation.
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Mute Swan: Aggressive bird, entirely white, orange bill with large black basal knob and naked black lores. Curved neck is often stained with pigments from iron or algae. Legs and feet are black. Feeds on aquatic plants collected from bottom. Direct flight with strong steady wing beats.
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Bridled Tern: Medium pelagic tern. Black crown, nape separated from gray-brown upperparts by whitish collar. Chevron-shaped white forehead patch extends behind eye. Long pointed wings and deeply forked tail. Whitish underparts; underwings have brown trailing edge. Black bill, legs.
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Kelp Gull: Large, stocky gull with white head, underparts, tail. Black back and upperwing with white trailing edge and one distinctive white spot on outer primary tip. Bill is yellow with a red spot near tip; eyes are yellow-gray with red orbital rings; legs and feet are yellow-green.
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Gull-billed Tern: Lightest North American tern. Black cap that extends below eyes, down nape; pale gray upperparts that are darker at the wingtips; short, stout black bill and black legs, feet; long wings with very long outer primaries. Direct flight with graceful, shallow wing beats.
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Great Black-backed Gull: World's largest gull. White head, black upperparts, white underparts, large yellow bill with red spot on lower mandible, pale-eyed with red orbital ring, pink legs, feet. Flight is direct and powerful with deep, slow wing beats. Soars on thermals or updrafts.
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Jabiru: Huge stork, one of the largest flying birds. Plumage is entirely white, head and neck are black and featherless with a red throat pouch. Black bill is large, slightly upturned. Black legs and feet. Alternates between strong, slow wing beats and short glides. Soars on thermals and updrafts.
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Northern Lapwing: Large, unique plover with black breast, face, crown, and long upright head plumes; back is green-tinged purple and copper. Belly and sides are white, uppertail is white with a black tip, and undertail coverts are rich rufous-orange. Wings are dark with white tips; legs are pink.
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Piping Plover: Small, pale sand-colored plover, showy black bands on head, neck. White upertail with white-edged black tip. Short bill has bright orange base and black tip. Legs are bright orange. Eats fly larvae, beetles, crustaceans and marine worms. Feeds higher on the beach than other plovers.
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Green Sandpiper: Medium sandpiper with pale-spotted, dark gray-brown back and rump, white underparts with dark streaks on neck, upper breast, sides. Head is dark and eye-ring is white. Tail is white with fine dark spotting at tip. Bill, legs, feet are olive-green. Swift flight with rapid wing beats.
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American Oystercatcher: Large shorebird with white underparts, brown upperparts, black hood, long, bright red-orange needle-shaped bill. White wing patches visible in flight. Yellow eyes surrounded by orange eye-rings. Legs and feet are pink. Feeds on mussels and other bivalves. Rapid direct flight.
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Gunnison Sage-Grouse: Recognized as a species in 2000. Large grouse, mottled gray-brown overall with white breast, black face, chin, throat, bib and belly. Black bill. Yellow eye combs and long black filoplumes on neck show when courting. Brown tail feathers are long and pointed, with white bands.
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Red-billed Tropicbird: Slender, white, gull-like seabird with long white tail streamers. White back, finely barred black. Black eye stripe curves upward behind eye, almost meets at nape. Black primaries, red bill. Direct, rapid flight, pigeonlike, stiff, shallow wingbeats. The largest tropicbird.
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Bananaquit: Small and short-tailed with short, decurved black bill. Bahamensis is gray-black above with white throat and yellow belly with bold white stripe over eyes. Rump is yellow. Legs and feet are black. Martinique has dark throat. Weak fluttering flight, alternates rapid wing beats with brief periods of wings pulled to sides.
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Hairy Woodpecker: Small woodpecker with black-and-white upperparts, white underparts. Head has red hindcrown patch. Face is white with black stripes.Tail is black with white outer tail feathers. Northwest birds have gray-brown breast, belly, and rump. Bill is long and black. Legs and feet are black.
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Downy Woodpecker: The smallest woodpecker in North America. Has a white back, black nape and black wings with white spotting. Underparts are white. Face is white with black stripes. Hindcrown patch is red. Tail is black with black-spotted or barred white outer tail feathers. Bill is black and short.
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Black-backed Woodpecker: Small woodpecker with black back, black wings with white spots on flight feathers, barred flanks, white underparts. Head has a conspicuous white cheek mark and yellow crown. Tail is black with white outer tail feathers. Black bill is long and stout. Legs and feet are gray.
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Nuttall's Woodpecker: Small woodpecker with black-and-white barred back, wings, and outer tail. Underparts are white with spotted sides and barred flanks. Face is black-and-white with white nasal bristles above bill. Rear crown patch is small and red. Bill is short and black. Legs and feet are gray.
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Tree Swallow: Medium-sized swallow with iridescent blue-green upperparts and white underparts. The wings are dark gray and tail is dark and forked. Black bill, legs and feet. Swift, graceful flight, alternates slow, deep wing beats with short or long glides. Turns back sharply on insects it passes.
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White-headed Woodpecker: Medium-sized woodpecker, mostly black with large white wing patches. Head and throat are white; nape patch is red and narrow. Small black stripe behind the eye. Bill is black and small. Legs and feet are black. This is the only North American woodpecker with a white head.
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Red-naped Sapsucker: Medium-sized woodpecker with white-checkered black upperparts, pale yellow underparts with spotted sides. Head has red crown, nape patch and white moustache stripe. Throat and breast band are black. Wings are black with thick white stripes. Black bill, legs and feet.
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Acorn Woodpecker: Medium-sized, clown-faced woodpecker. The male has a red crown, white forehead and glossy black face and body. The breast is white with black streaking; belly and rump are white. Yellow-tipped throat feathers may be present. Wings are black with white patches. Eyes are white. Female is similar except for a black patch between the white forehead and red crown. The juvenile has a dark eye.
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Warbling Vireo: Small vireo, gray to olive-gray upperparts, white underparts; sides sometimes washed with yellow. Eyes are dark brown, have thick, white eyebrows and faint, dark eye-lines. Gray wings and tail. Legs and feet are blue-gray. Has the largest breeding range of any North American vireo.
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Western Gull: Large gull, gray upperparts, white head, neck, tail and underparts. Yellow eyes. Bright yellow bill with red spot near tip; Pale pink legs and feet. Gray upper wings, white-edged with white-spotted black tips. Direct flight, strong, steady wing beats, soars on thermals.
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Glaucous-winged Gull: Large gull with gray upperparts and white underparts, head, and neck. Eyes are dark. Bill is yellow with red spot on lower mandible. Wings are gray with white edges and spots near the tips. Legs and feet are pink. Powerful direct flight, often soars on thermals.
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Common Murre: Medium seabird with brown-black upperparts, throat, white underparts, and long dark bill. Tail is short. Some Atlantic birds have a narrow white eye-ring and stripe extending past the eye. Can dive to depths of more than 240 feet. Feeds on fish and invertebrates. AKA Common Guillemot.
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Black Turnstone: Medium sandpiper, scaled black upperparts, white spot between eye and bill, black breast with white speckles on sides, and white belly. Short, dark bill slightly upturned. Back, wings, and rump display a dramatic black-and-white pattern in flight. Swift flight on rapid wing beats.
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Black-bellied Plover: Medium-sized shorebird with black upperparts vividly marked with a white spot on each feather. Face, throat, and belly are black. White forehead and crown, extends over eye and down back, sides of neck. Black armpit and white rump, vent, and wing stripe are visible in flight.
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Black Phoebe: Medium flycatcher, mostly black body and white belly. Outer tail feathers and undertail coverts are white. Bill, legs, feet are black. Feeds primarily on insects, sometimes small fish. Weak fluttering bouyant flight with shallow wing beats. Sallies from perch to catch insects in air.
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Violet-green Swallow: Small swallow, dark, metallic green upperparts, iridescent purple rump. Face, sides of rump, underparts are white. Tail is slightly forked. Black bill, legs and feet. Swift, graceful flight, alternates several quick wing beats with long glides. Soars on thermals and updrafts.
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Black-and-white Warbler: Small, black-and-white striped warbler with a white median head stripe bordered by black. Black bill, legs and feet. It forages unlike any other warbler by moving up and down the trunks of trees and crawling under and over branches in a style similar to that of a nuthatch.
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Virginia's Warbler: Small warbler, gray upperparts, yellow rump. Throat is white with yellow patch, breast and undertail are yellow, sides and belly are white with a gray wash. Head has rufous crown patch, bold white eye-rings. Named for the wife of the army surgeon who discovered it in New Mexico.
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Horned Puffin: Medium puffin with black upperparts, white underparts. White face with a black, fleshy horn above eye extending to top of head. Bill is triangular and massive during summer, when it is bright yellow with orange tip. Strong direct flight on rapid wing beats, often high over the water.
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Ancient Murrelet: Small, pelagic seabird with black head and dark gray back and wings. White underparts extend up onto the face as a cheek patch. Bill is short and yellow with a blackish tip. An open ocean species vaguely resembling a small penguin that can fly. Swift, direct, and low flight.
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Thick-billed Murre: Medium-sized seabird with black upperparts, head and neck, and white underparts. A thin, white stripe extends from bill to cheek. The bill is short and black. Legs and feet are black. Feeds on fish, marine worms, crustaceans and squid. Strong swift flight low over water.
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Greater Sage Grouse: Largest North American grouse, has scaled gray-brown upperparts, white breast, black throat, bib, and belly, and yellow combs above eyes. Large, white collar-like patch on breast conceals two yellow air sacs displayed during courtship. Tail feathers are long and pointed.
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Craveri's Murrelet: Small, plump seabird, reminiscent of a small, flying penguin. with black upperparts that extend as a bar onto the side of upper breast, distinct white crescents above and below eyes, white underparts, and dark gray underwing linings. Feeds on crustaceans and small fish.
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Parakeet Auklet: Small seabird with black head and upperparts, white underparts, and distinct yellow-white plumes behind eyes. Bill is large, conical, and bright orange-red. Legs and feet are gray. Feeds on small fish, crustaceans and jellyfish. Strong direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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American Avocet: Long-legged shorebird with long, thin, upcurved bill and distinctive black-and-white back and sides. Head and neck are bright rust-brown during summer. Legs and feet are gray.
Feeds on insects, crustaceans, and invertebrates. Strong direct flight with neck extended.
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Rose-breasted Grosbeak: Large finch, black head, back, bright red breast, and white rump, sides, belly. The wings are black with white patches above and red, white, black below. Long, slightly notched black tail with white patches. Female has brown streaked upperparts, buff streaked underparts and yellow wing linings. Eats seeds, caterpillars, insects, tree flowers, fruits and berries.
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Lazuli Bunting: Small finch, bright blue upperparts, cinnamon-brown breast and sides, white belly. Dark wings with white wing bar. Forages on ground, low in trees and bushes. Eats seeds, insects, caterpillars. Short flights, alternates rapid wing beats with brief periods of wings pulled to sides.
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Sanderling: Medium-sized sandpiper with dark-spotted, rufous upperparts, breast and white underparts. Wings have conspicuous white stripes visible in flight. Bill, legs, and feet are black. Feeds on crustaceans, mollusks, isopods, worms, plants and insects. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Baird's Sparrow: Small sparrow with pale-streaked, rich dark brown upperparts, white underparts, and dark streaks on upper breast and flanks. Orange-brown crown is marked with fine dark lines. Legs and feet are pink-brown. Short low flights, alternates rapid wing beats with wings pulled to sides.
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Bank Swallow: Small swallow with brown upperparts, and a brown breast band seperating white underparts from white throat and chin. Tail is notched. Brown legs, feet. The smallest North American swallow. Swift, erratic flight, alternating several shallow, rapid wing beats with short to long glides.
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Violet-crowned Hummingbird: Medium-sized hummingbird with iridescent bronze-green upperparts and white underparts. Cap is purple-blue; throat is white and lacks gorget feathers. The bill is bright red with black tip. Feeds on nectar and insects. Direct and hovering flight with very rapid wing beats.
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Brown Creeper: Small, tree-clinging bird with brown-streaked upperparts and white underparts. White line over eye and long, decurved bill are conspicuous. Legs and feet are pink-buff. Feeds on insects, larvae, nuts and seeds. Strong direct flights of short duration on rapid and shallow wing beats.
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Wood Stork: Large, odd wading bird, mostly white except for black flight feathers and tail. Upper neck and head are featherless and dark gray. The bill is thick, long, and curved downward. Legs and feet are gray black. Alternates between strong wing beats and gliding. Soars on thermals and updrafts.
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Snowy Egret: Medium-sized, totally white egret with a long slender black bill with yellow lores. The eyes are yellow and legs are black while feet are bright yellow. The head, neck and back have long, lacy plumes during breeding season. Generally silent and feeds on crustaceans, insects, and fish.
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Cattle Egret: Medium, stocky egret with white body and pale orange-brown patches on head, neck and back. Eyes, bill and legs are orange. This is the only white egret with both a yellow bill and yellow legs. Feeds primarily on insects disturbed by livestock. Direct flight on quick steady wing beats.
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Whooping Crane: Adults are nearly all white except for red crown, black mask, and black primary feathers most visible in flight. The juvenile has rust-brown head and upper neck, and brown wash over mostly white body. Very rare bird; near extinction. Feeds on frogs, fish, mollusks, small mammals and crustaceans, grain and roots of water plants. Direct flight; slow downward wing beat and a powerful flick on the upbeat.
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Gyrfalcon: Large northern falcon with three color morphs: dark, white, and gray. Dark morph is dark gray with pale streaks on throat and upper breast. White morph is white with dark spots and markings on wings, nape, and sides. Gray morph is a mix. The eyes, bill, and legs of all morphs are yellow.
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Crested Caracara: Large, ground-dwelling falcon, black body, finely barred tail, wing panels and upper breast. Head crest is black, facial skin is red, and large bill is blue-gray and hooked. Legs are long and yellow. Strong steady wing beats alternated with long to short glides. Soars on thermals.
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Prairie Falcon: Medium falcon with brown upperparts, dark-spotted pale underparts, dark brown moustache stripe. Dark underwing-bars visible in flight. Feeds on small birds and mammals, and large insects. Swift flight with rapid wing beats. Sometimes alternates several rapid wing beats with a glide.
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Osprey: Large raptor, dark brown upperparts contrast with white underparts, faint breast band. Small, white head has dark crown, eyestripe. Dark bill. Wings held at a distinct angle in flight, with underwing showing barred flight feathers and diagnostic dark patches on forewing. Gray legs and feet.
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Black-crowned Night-Heron: Medium-sized, stocky heron with short neck and legs, black upperparts, gray wings, and white to pale gray underparts. Stout black bill, red eyes, and yellow legs. Feeds on small invertebrates, crustaceans, vertebrates, mammals, eggs and young of other birds, and plants.
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Snowy Owl: Large, white owl with variable black bars and spots. The head is round and lacks tufts, eyes are yellow, and the bill is black. Feathered feet and toes provide protection from the arctic cold. Direct flap-and-glide flight with powerful, deep wingbeats. North America's only all-white owl.
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Barn Owl: Medium-sized owl with glaring white, heart-shaped facial disk, no ear tufts, and long legs. Upperparts are orange-brown with fine white spots and dark bars. Underparts are white with small black spots. Feeds primarily on small mammals, also takes small birds. Slow silent mothlike flight.
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Bald Eagle: Large, hawk-like bird, dark brown body and white head, tail. Heavy bill, legs, feet, eyes are yellow. Hunts for fish, which it sometimes steals from ospreys. Eats carrion and crippled or injured squirrels, rabbits, muskrats and waterfowl. Flap-and-glide flight, also soars on thermals.
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Broad-winged Hawk: Medium hawk, dark brown, mottled upperparts and brown-barred, white underparts. Pale underwings with black margins visible in flight. Tail is dark banded. Feeds on amphibians, reptiles, small mammals and birds, large insects. Flap-and-glide flight, soars on thermals and updrafts.
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Great Egret: Large, white heron with yellow eyes. Bill is yellow, may appear orange when breeding. Black legs and feet. Long feather plumes extend from the back to beyond the tail during breeding season. Feeds on fish, frogs, insects, snakes and crayfish. Bouyant direct flight on steady wing beats.
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White-tailed Kite: Small hawk with gray upperparts, black shoulders, and white face and underparts. Eyes are red, bill is black. Underwings are white and gray with dark patches at bend. Tail is square, pale gray, and shorter than folded wings. Legs and feet are gray. Soars on thermals and updrafts.
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Belted Kingfisher: Medium kingfisher, distinct, bushy crest, white collar, and large, black dagger-like bill. Upperparts are blue-gray and underparts are white. Adults have a blue-gray breast band, female has rust flanks and belly band. Legs and feet are gray. Slow direct flight with erratic pattern. Hovers above water to search for prey.
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Ring-billed Gull: Medium gull with gray upperparts and white underparts. Head is white and bill is yellow with black ring near tip. Wings are gray above, tipped black with white spots, and white below. Yellow legs and feet. Strong direct flight on deep wing beats, soars on thermals.
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Dark-eyed Junco: Medium-sized sparrow with considerable geographic color variation, although all exhibit a pink bill, dark eyes, white belly, and dark-centered tail with white outer feathers. Gray-headed form has gray head, rump, breast, and sides, and rust-brown back. Slate-colored form is slate-gray overall with darker head. Oregon form has black hood, chestnut-brown back and buff-brown flanks. White-winged form is blue-gray overall and shows two white wing bars. Pink-sided form is blue-gray with darker wings and pink-gray flanks. Female of each form resembles male but is usually paler. Juveniles of all forms are heavily streaked brown with darker heads, white bellies, and white outer tail feathers.
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Pygmy Nuthatch: Small nuthatch, blue-gray upperparts and pale yellow breast. Head has a dark gray-brown cap, pale spot on nape, and thick black eye-line; throat is white. Legs and feet are gray. Weak fluttering flight, alternates rapid wing beats with wings drawn to sides, usually of short duration.
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Mew Gull: Medium-sized gull with gray back and upperwings, and white head, neck, breast, and belly. Bill is bright yellow. Wings have white-spotted black tips; tail is white. Feet and legs are dull yellow. Graceful, bouyant flight. Undulating, with several rapid wingbeats and a pause.
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Bewick's Wren: Small wren with unstreaked, gray to red-brown upperparts and plain white underparts. White eyebrows are conspicuous. Tail is long and white-edged with dark bars. Bill is long and slightly decurved. Legs and feet are gray. Eastern populations are red-brown, Northwestern birds are more brown, and Western Interior birds are gray-brown. Eastern populations have seriously declined since the 1960s.
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California Gull: Moderately large gull, white body, gray wings, black wing tips. Bill is yellow with red and black spot near tip of bill on lower mandible. Legs are yellow; eye is dark with red orbital ring. Strong direct flight with deep wing beats. Soars on thermals and updrafts.
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Glaucous Gull: Large, white gull with pale gray back. Eyes are yellow. Bill is yellow with red spot on lower mandible. Wings are white-edged and white tipped. Legs and feet are pink. An active predator of seabird nesting colonies. Slow, steady wing beats. Soars on thermals and updrafts.
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Common Goldeneye: Medium diving duck, white-striped black upperparts, white underparts. Head is iridescent green-black with white circular patch between yellow eyes and dark gray bill. Wings are dark with large white patches conspicuous in flight. Legs and feet are yellow. Swift, direct flight.
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Roseate Spoonbill: Large ibis, pink body, white upper back, neck. Long bill, gray and spatulate. Head is bare and olive-green. Feeds while wading in shallow water, sweeping its bill back and forth. Sensitive nerve endings snap bill shut when prey is found. Alternates steady wing beats, short glides.
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Common Loon: Large loon, white-spotted, black upperparts and white underparts. Head, neck are green-black with white-streaked neckbands. Bill is black and thick. Eyes are red-brown. Dives for small fish and crustaceans. Direct flight on strong deep wing beats, head, neck and feet extend beyond body.
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Western Grebe: Large, long-necked grebe with dark gray upperparts, white underparts, gray sides and flanks. Lower face and front of neck are white; black cap extends below eye. Back of neck is black. Eyes are red. Bill is long, thin, and dull olive-yellow. Winter birds are duller gray and juveniles are light gray overall. Wings have white stripes visible in flight.
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Black-billed Magpie: Large, noisy jay, mostly black, with very long tail and dark, stout bill. Wings and tail are iridescent blue and green-black. White belly and sides. Eats insects, larvae, carrion. Direct flight on shallow, steady wing beats. Often glides between perches or from perch to ground.
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Bufflehead: Small diving duck, mostly white with glossy green-black to purple-black head and back. Head has large white patch behind eye. The wings are dark with white patches visible in flight. Feeds on aquatic plant seeds and insects, larvae, and snails. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Killdeer: Large banded plover, brown upperparts and white underparts, two distinct black bands cross upper breast. White stripes on wings are visible in flight. Tail and rump show rust-brown in flight. Black bill, pink-brown legs and feet. Wavering, erratic flight, capable of swift, direct flight.
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Yellow-billed Magpie: Large jay with black hood, back and breast, featherless, pale yellow spot behind eye, and white belly. Bill is yellow. Upperwings are iridescent blue-green with large white shoulder patches. Tail is iridescent green-black, very long, and wedge-shaped. Legs and feet are black.
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Forster's Tern: Medium tern, pale gray upperparts, black cap, white underparts. Bill is orange, black tip. Wings are pale gray with paler primaries. Tail is pale gray, deeply forked with dark inner edge, white outer edge. Orange legs, feet. Hovers above water before diving for prey.
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Elegant Tern: Medium tern, pale gray upperparts, white underparts may have pink tint. Black cap has shaggy crest; orange or red-orange bill is long, slightly decurved. Outermost primaries have faint black smudges. Tail deeply forked, legs are black. Hovers above water before diving.
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Common Tern: Medium tern, medium gray upperparts, pale gray underparts, glossy black cap and nape. Wings are dark-tipped and have dark leading edge on forewing. Red bill is black-tipped. Legs are red and tail is deeply forked and elongated. Direct flight, hovers above water before diving for prey.
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Franklin's Gull: Medium gull, gray back, white underparts. Head is black, white eye-ring; bill is orange, black spot near tip. Wings are short with white-bordered or spotted black tips. The legs are red-orange. Strong direct flight with deep wing beats. Soars on thermals and updrafts.
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Laysan Albatross: Large seabird with dark brown back and white head, neck, and rump. Eye patch is dark. Bill is thick and yellow with gray, hooked tip. Wings are dark brown above and white below with irregular brown-black borders. Tail is dark brown-black with white coverts. Legs and feet are pink.
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Iceland Gull: Large, white gull, pale, pearl-gray back and upper wings. Bill is yellow, red spot at tip of lower mandible. Wing tips sometimes marked with pale to dark gray. White tail; legs and feet are pink. Direct flight with strong deep wing beats. Soars on thermals and updrafts.
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Herring Gull: Large gull, pale gray back and wings with black tips, white head, neck breast. White tail and underparts. Bill is yellow with red spot near tip; legs are pink. Strong steady flight with deep wing beats. Soars on thermals and updrafts. Most widespread North American Gull.
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Caspian Tern: Large, stocky tern with pale gray upperparts, white underparts. Cap is black and may appear weakly crested; large bill is coral-red. Undersides of primaries are gray. Tail is white, relatively short, and slightly forked; legs are black. Hovers above water before diving.
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King Eider: Large diving duck with black body and white breast, back. The crown and nape are pale blue; distinct bill is orange-red, sweeping upward into a large, orange basal knob outlined in black. Wings are black with large white patches visible in flight. Tail has white patches at the base.
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Baird's Sandpiper: Medium sandpiper with scaled, gray-brown upperparts, white underparts, and dark-spotted, gray-brown breast. Crown, face, and neck are buff with fine, dark brown streaks. Rump is white with dark central stripe extending through the center of gray-brown tail. Black legs and feet.
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Terek Sandpiper: Medium-sized sandpiper with lightly spotted gray upperparts, white underparts, and gray wash on upper breast. Eyestripes are dark. Bill is long, black with orange at the base and curved upward. Legs are relatively short and bright orange. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Arctic Tern: Medium, slim tern with gray upperparts, black cap, white rump and throat, and pale gray underparts. Tail is deeply forked and white with dark edges on outer feathers. Bill is dark red, rarely tipped with black. Legs and feet are red. Bouyant graceful flight with steady wing beats.
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Bonaparte's Gull: Medium gull with black head and bill, gray back and wings, white underparts and tail. White outer primaries with black trailing edges are visible in flight. Legs are red-orange. Catches fish by wading and diving. Light and direct flight with rapid wing beat, ternlike.
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Black-legged Kittiwake: Medium-sized white gull with pale gray back and upperwings and black wing tips. Bill is yellow, legs and feet are black. Swift graceful flight, alternates several rapid shallow wing beats with a glide. Often hovers over water before diving for prey at surface.
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Black Skimmer: Odd-looking, tern-like bird with black upperparts and white underparts. Bright red bill with black tip, lower mandible longer than upper. Long, slim wings are dark above and silver-gray below. Tail is white with black central feathers. Legs, feet are red. Direct flight.
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Least Tern: Small tern, slate-gray upperparts, white underparts. Crown, nape are black and forehead is white. Black leading edge of outer wing conspicuous in flight. Tail is forked. Bill and feet are yellow. Fast smooth flight with rapid wing beats. Hovers briefly before dipping down to sieze prey.
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Laughing Kookaburra: Large, noisy kingfisher, dark brown upperparts, brown-washed white underparts. Head and neck are white, and dark brown eye-stripe is conspicuous. Bill is large and two toned with black upper and pale brown lower mandibles. Tail is rufous with broad, black bars. Gray legs, feet.
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Red-tailed Tropicbird: Medium tropicbird with silky white plumage, small but conspicuous black eyestripe. Bill is coral red. Legs and feet are black. Tail has long, red central streamers. Swift, purposeful flight, alternates fluttering wing beats with glides. Hovers while hunting and in courtship.
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Wilson's Phalarope: Medium sandpiper, gray-brown upperparts, red-brown streaks on back, shoulders. White underparts with red-brown markings on upper sides. Gray crown, white face, black eye-line that continues down neck. Black needle-like bill. Gray wings with dark flight feathers. White tail, rump.
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Black-headed Gull: Medium-sized gull with pale gray back and upperwings and dark brown face and partial hood. Nape, neck, breast, belly, and tail are white. Bill and legs are dark red. Wings have white triangular panel formed at the leading edge of black-tipped primaries in flight.
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Laughing Gull: Medium gull, gray back, white underparts. Head has black hood, neck is white, and bill is red. Wings are gray and white-edged and black at tips; tail is white. Legs and feet are black. Slow flight with deep wing beats. Soars on updrafts. Named for its laughterlike call.
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Harris's Sparrow: Large sparrow with dark-streaked, brown upperparts and white underparts with dark-streaked sides. Head has stark black crown, face, and throat. Gray cheek patch is marked by a thin, black line. Bill is pink. Alternates rapid wing beats with brief periods of wings pulled to sides.
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Cerulean Warbler: The male is sky-blue with faintly streaked upperparts and black-streaked white flanks. A black band separates a white throat and belly. Wings have two bold white bars. The female has unstreaked blue-gray upperparts and a yellow wash on face and breast with pale streaks on flanks, and yellow eyebrows. The immature bird is paler and more olive over all. Prefers to stay high in the crowns of mature deciduous trees, making it difficult to see.
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White-winged Tern: Small tern, black head, body, and underwing coverts; white rump, vent, upperwing coverts, and tail; flight feathers are pale gray. Bill is dark red to black; Red legs and feet. Fluttering, uneven flight with slow, shallow wing beats. Hovers before dipping for prey.
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Ruddy Turnstone: Medium sandpiper, red-brown upperparts, white rump and underparts. Face and breast are black-marked. Bill is short, dark, and slightly upturned. Wings have a unique brown, black, and white pattern visible in flight. Tail is white with black terminal band. Legs and feet are orange.
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Royal Tern: Large tern, pale gray upperparts; white face, neck, and underparts. Head has spiky, black crest and cap, and heavy, bright orange bill. Wings are black-tipped above and black-edged below; tail is deeply forked. Legs and feet are black. Hovers before plunge diving for prey.
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Long-tailed Jaeger: Small jaeger with gray upperparts, white breast, gray belly. Black cap covers eyes, crosses chin and ends at yellow nape. Upperwings are dark-edged. Tail is gray with black edges and long, black streamers. Legs are blue-gray and toes are webbed. Hovers before dipping for prey.
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Sabine's Gull: Small gull with gray back and white nape, rump, and underparts. Hood is solid black and eye-ring is dark red. Bill is black with yellow tip; legs and feet are black. The upperwings are gray with black primaries and white secondaries. Tail is slightly forked when folded.
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White-tailed Hawk: Large hawk, dark gray upperparts and head, distinct brown wash on shoulders and back, and white rump. Breast is white; belly and undertail are white with inconspicuous, fine bars. Wings are dark gray above, paler below. Tail is white, broad black band near tip. Yellow legs, feet.
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Shy Albatross: Large seabird with white body and gray back. The bill is gray with a yellow tip and base. Underwing is white with diagnostic narrow black margin. Tail is gray. Legs and feet are pink. Soaring flight on stiff, slightly drooped wings. Often interuppted with several slow deep wing beats.
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Short-tailed Albatross: Largest and only white-bodied albatross in the North Pacific. The head and nape have a golden-yellow cast. White wings have black edges and tips. Tail is white with black fringe. Legs and feet are pink-gray. AKA Steller's Albatross. Almost became extinct in late 19th century.
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Common Merganser: Large, sleek diving duck with black upperparts and white underparts. Head and upper neck are green-black with head crest usually not visible. Long, thin bill is bright red. Wings are black with extensive white patches. Feeds on fish, mollusks, crustaceans, insects and plants.
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Black-throated Gray Warbler: Small warbler, black-marked, slate-gray upperparts, black streaks on flanks, white underparts. Head has black hood and throat, sharply contrasting white eyebrow and cheek stripe, and yellow spot in front of eye. Wings are dark with two white bars. Black bill, legs, feet.
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Golden-cheeked Warbler: Medium warbler, black upperparts, white underparts with thick black streaks on sides. Head has black crown, forehead, nape and throat, bright yellow face, and black eye-line. Wings are dark with two white bars. black bill, legs and feet. The only bird with a breeding range confined to Texas.
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Whooper Swan: Large, white swan with black and yellow bill; broad, yellow patch covers at least half of the upper mandible. Black legs and feet. Feeds by dipping head and neck in water. Eats invertebrates and aquatic plants. Strong direct flight with deep and steady wing beats. Flies in V formation.
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Black-throated Blue Warbler: Small warbler that is the most strikingly sexually dimorphic of all wood warblers. Male has dark blue upperparts, black throat and mask. White underparts with black sides and white wing patch at base of primaries. Bill, legs and feet are black. The female is olive-brown.
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Chestnut-sided Warbler: Medium warbler with black-streaked upperparts, white underparts, and chestnut-brown flanks. The cap is bright yellow and moustache stripe is black. Often cocks its tail high above its back as it feeds. The only North American warbler with pure white underparts in all seasons.
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Yellow-billed Cuckoo: Medium cuckoo, gray-brown upperparts and white underparts. Bill is mostly yellow. Wings are gray-brown with rufous primaries. Tail is long and has white-spotted black edges. Gray legs, feet. Feeds primarily on hairy caterpillars, also insects, larvae, small fruits, and berries.
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Black-billed Cuckoo: Medium cuckoo with brown upperparts, white underparts. Eye-ring is red and decurved bill is black. Tail is long with faint white, dark-eyed spots underneath. Feeds primarily on caterpillars, also eats insects, small fish, mollusks and fruits. Makes low flights of short duration.
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Tundra Swan: Small swan, completely white, head and neck often stained rust-brown from ferrous minerals in marsh soils. Black bill, usually with yellow spot at base. Black legs, feet. Strong direct flight on steady wing beats. Flies in straight line or V formation. Most common swan in North America.
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White Wagtail: Medium-sized wagtail, mostly white except for black upperparts and upper breast. All-white wing appears as a white wing patch when folded. The tail is black with white outer tail feathers that are conspicuous in flight and flicked continually when walking. Black bill, legs and feet.
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American White Pelican: Huge, white seabird, enormous outstretched wings show black primaries, outer secondaries in flight. Bill, legs are bright orange, upper bill develops a fibrous keel during breeding season. Slow, deep wing beats. Soars high on thermals. Flies in straight line or V formation.
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Xantus's Murrelet: Medium-sized Murrelet with black upperparts and white cheeks, throat, underparts, and underwing coverts. Bill is dark and thin. Eyes are brown with broken white eye-rings. Legs and feet are black. Feeds on small crustaceans and fish. Swift direct low flight with rapid wing beats.
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Black-necked Stilt: Large shorebird with sharply contrasting black upperparts and white underparts. Long, thin, upcurved bill. Red eyes with white eye-rings, and white patch above. Legs are extremely long and red-pink. Feeds on insects, fish, worms, small crustaceans and seeds. Swift direct flight.
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Trumpeter Swan: Largest swan in the world, completely white but with head and neck often stained rust-brown from contact with ferrous minerals in wetland soils. Bill, legs, and feet are black. Feeds on aquatic plants. Strong direct flight on steady wing beats. Flies in straight line or V formation.
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Snow Goose: Large goose with two color phases. White phase is all white with black wing tips. Blue phase has white head and neck, blue-gray upperparts, gray-brown breast and sides, white belly. Pink bill, black lower mandible. Pink legs, feet. Strong direct flight in bunched flocks or U formations.
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Ross's Goose: Small, white goose with black primary feathers and stubby gray-based red-orange bill. Red-orange legs and feet. Eats mostly fresh grasses and grains, often in the company of Snow Geese. Rapid direct flight with strong wing beats. Flies in a V formation. North America's smallest goose.
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Ovenbird: Medium, ground walking warbler, olive-brown upperparts, heavily spotted white underparts. Head has dull orange central crown stripe edged in black, and a white eye-ring. Wings, tail are olive-green. Name is from its covered nest, the dome and side entrance make it resemble a dutch oven.
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Hooded Merganser: Small merganser with black upperparts and white underparts with two black bars on side of breast; red-brown flanks. Crest shows large white patch when raised, white stripe extending backwards from the eye when lowered. Dark wings have white shoulder patches visible in flight.
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Lesser Sand-Plover: Medium-sized, chunky plover with gray upperparts, white underparts, and bright rust-brown breast band and nape. The head has gray-brown cap and thick black eyestripe broken by a white forehead. Throat is white with a black border. Bill is black and legs and feet are yellow-green.
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Steller's Eider: Small eider with black back and collar, white sides, buff-brown underparts with small but distinct black spot on side. White head has a dark tuft, black eye patch and chin. Wings are white with black primaries and a white-bordered blue speculum. Blue-gray bill, legs and feet.
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Barrow's Goldeneye: Medium diving duck with black upperparts, contrasting white shoulder bars, white underparts. Head is large, glossy, and purple-black with golden yellow eyes and a crescent-shaped white patch behind a dark bill. White wing patches are visible in flight. Yellow legs and feet.
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Wilson's Plover: Medium plover, gray-brown upperparts and cap. Underparts are white except for black upper breast band. Head has white forehead patch edged in black and white eyebrows joining above bill. Wings are dark with white stripes visible in flight. White tail with faint brown central strip and dark tip.
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Snowy Plover: Small plover, pale brown upperparts, white underparts. Dark patches on either side of upper breast (partial breast band), behind eye, and on white forehead. Bill, legs, and feet are black. Wings have white stripes visible in flight. Dark tail has white edges. Dark gray legs and feet.
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Yellow-billed Loon: Large loon, white-spotted black upperparts, white underparts, gray sides with fine white spots. Head is glossy green-black; neck has black-and-white rings. Yellow bill. Dives for small fish, crustaceans. Direct flight on deep wing beats. Solitary, or in pairs and family groups.
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Smew: Small merganser, mostly white body except for black back, mask, breast bar, and V-shaped nape patch. Wings are dark with large white patches. Gray legs, feet. Feeds on fish, aquatic insects, and their larvae. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats. Flies in straight line or V formation.
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Tennessee Warbler: Small warbler with olive-green upperparts, white underparts, and olive-gray washed sides. Darker head has white eyebrows and dark eyestripes. Wings are plain gray. Tail is short. It spends the summers in Canada and is only found in Tennessee during migration. Eats mostly insects.
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Hermit Warbler: Small warbler, gray upperparts, white underparts, black-streaked flanks. Head is yellow with black throat and nape. Wings are gray with two white bars. Bill, legs and feet are black. They spend most of their time in the tops of tall fir and pine trees, making them difficult to see.
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Blackpoll Warbler: Medium-sized warbler with black-streaked, gray upperparts, white underparts, and black-streaked white sides. Head has black cap and prominent white cheek patch. Bill is black. Wings are dark with two white bars. Pink legs and feet. Swift, direct flight with rapidly beating wings.
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Blue-gray Gnatcatcher: Small, flycatcher-like perching bird, blue-gray upperparts, white underparts, prominent white eye-ring. Wings are dark. Black tail is long and white-edged. Forages in thickets, trees and shrubs for insects, their eggs and larvae. Weak fluttering flight on shallow wing beats.
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Long-tailed Duck: Small diving duck, black upperparts, head, neck, breast, wings; back is black and brown mottled; white flanks, belly, undertail coverts. Black tail has long, pintail-like central feathers that are often submerged when swimming. Pale gray mask, black bill with dark pink saddle.
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American Golden-Plover: Medium sandpiper with black face, underparts. Back is dark brown with yellow spots; has a white S-shaped mark along head and sides. Markings provide camouflage to blend in with tundra breeding grounds. Bill is black, thin, and short. Swift direct flight on rapid wing beats.
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White-breasted Nuthatch: Large nuthatch, blue-gray upperparts, black crown and nape, and white face, underparts. Tail is dark with white corners. Legs and feet are black. Female is similar but with blue-gray crown and nape. Eats spiders,insects, nuts and seeds. Weak fluttering flight, alternates rapid wing beats with periods of wings drawn to sides.
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