A Toxic Trio

 

Wild Poinsettia (Euphorbia cyathophora).
Palm Beach County, Florida. 

Florida, with its subtropical climate, has an array of fascinating plants.  It also has more than its share of invasive species from all over the tropical world.  Orchard View Park in Delray Beach has a mix of native and introduced plants. Three of these plants stand out because they are visually striking but also poisonous.

Air Potato (Dioscorea bulbifera) leaves.
Palm Beach County, Florida. 

 

A single heart-shaped leaf of Air Potato.
Palm Beach County, Florida.  

An Air Potato bulbil.
Palm Beach County, Florida. 

Air Potato (Dioscorea bulbifera) is a vine native to Africa, Asia and Australia.  It is classified in the true Yam family, the Dioscoreaceae.  These yams should not be confused with Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) which is in the Morning Glory family, the Convolvulaceae.  Air Potato was introduced to Florida in an Orlando area botanical garden in 1905, but it escaped and is now found throughout the peninsula. This vine rambles over bushes and grows high into the trees.  It has shiny, heart-shaped leaves and a stem that produces large, potato-like structures called bulbils.  Air Potato plants make several physiologically active compounds including the steroid diosgenin.  Diosgenin is the starting material for several medically important steroids including contraceptives.  While the Florida Air Potato is considered toxic, other varieties around the world are used for food, but the bulbils must be boiled before eating to make them safe.

'

Crab's Eye (Abrus precatorius) leaves
and dried fruits containing seeds.
Palm Beach County, Florida. 

Another toxic invasive plant in the park is Crab’s Eye (Abrus precatorius).  This member of the Fabaceae, the Pea family, has compound leaves and the peapod-like fruits contain the seeds that give the plant its name.  The seeds are brilliant red with large black spots like the eyes of some fever dream crab.  The bright seeds are used in some tropical countries to make beads, giving rise to another common name, Rosary Pea.  But these seeds contain abrin, a toxic protein.  Abrin is so poisonous that consuming a single seed can be lethal.  The seeds of this plant are sometimes used as means of suicide in India where the plant is native.  Crab’s Eye has been introduced to tropical and subtropical locations worldwide.   

Wild Poinsettia flowers and leavers.
Palm Beach County, Florida. 

The third toxic plant in the park is Wild Poinsettia (Euphorbia cyathophora).  The Wild Poinsettia flowers are small, yellow and green.  These flowers are set off by the bright red and green bracts below the flowers. Wild Poinsettia is native to tropical and subtropical America and is naturally found in Florida.  It is a close relative of the ubiquitous Poinsettia of Christmas fame (Euphorbia pulcherrima).   The stems and leaves of Wild Poinsettia contain a white, milky latex that can cause contact dermatitis, eye irritation and in rare cases of anaphylaxis.   

Fruits and seeds of Crab's Eye.
Palm Beach County, Florida. 

Since plants are rooted in the ground and cannot flee from danger, they must rely on other means to protect themselves from being eaten by animals.  One way they do this is to produce toxic compounds to protect themselves from hungry herbivores. The latex of Wild Poinsettia and the steroids of Air Potato are good examples of this type of chemical protection.  Even the deadly toxin abrin made by Crab’s Eye will cause gastrointestinal distress in low doses and discourage grazing animals.  I enjoy these plants and appreciate their protective adaptations but from a distance.  I definitely don’t eat them.   

Thrushes

A Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)
peers down from its leafy perch on fall migration.  
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

The days are getting longer, and migrant birds are returning to our area. Thrushes are some of my favorites and many are winging their way north from the tropics and will be here soon. Others stay in the Southeast year-round and one spends the whole winter with us. Thrushes are classified in the family Turididae which includes new world thrushes, Eastern Bluebirds and American Robins.

Wood Thrush (Hylochicla mustelina).
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. 

The iconic thrush that will be arriving soon is the Wood Thrush (Hylochicla mustelina).  This medium sized songbird winters from southern Mexico to Panama and breeds throughout much of North American. The head and back are reddish-brown while the breast and belly are white with bold black spots.  Male Wood Thrushes have one of the most beautiful songs of all North American birds.  The ringing, flute-like song sounds through the forest and is produced by the Wood Thrush’s unique voice box, the syrinx.  The syrinx has two parts so the Wood Thrush can sing an unaccompanied duet.  The Wood Thrush is a Near Threatened species whose population has been reduced by half since the 1960s.   Fragmentation of the forest where they breed in North American have made Wood Thrushes more vulnerable to Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) that are nest parasites.  The Brown-headed Cowbirds lay their eggs in the Wood Thrush nest and the larger Cowbird chick outcompetes the Thrush chicks for food.  Habitat loss on their wintering grounds has also reduced their numbers but shade grown coffee farms in Central America provide good wintering habitat. 

Swainson's Thrush feeding on Red Mulberry (Morus rubra)
during spring migration.
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. 

The Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) is a neotropical migrant that passes through our area on its way to breeding grounds in Canada, Alaska and the western mountains.  This thrush has brown or gray on the back, with spots on the breast that are less extensive than on the Wood Thrush and a buffy eye ring.  Swainson’s Thrushes have a song like that of Wood Thrushes but perhaps not as striking.  Our area hosts these birds for a few weeks on spring and fall migration. 

Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus).
Rowan County, North Carolina.  

Hermit Thrush showing its reddish tail.
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

Hermit Thrushes (Catharus guttatus) migrate south for the winter, but not all go to tropical climes. They are common winter birds in our area, and we see them eating fruits and insects on warm days. Hermit Thrushes have a white breast with spots near the throat and a brown back.  The most distinguishing characteristic of this thrush is its reddish tail that it bobs continuously. 

Veery (Catharus fuscescens).
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. 

The Veery (Catharus fuscescens) is the smallest and palest of the Catharus thrushes.  Veeries are cinnamon-brown above with small, light spots on the throat and upper breast. They breed on the border lands of the United States and Canada, and south along the Rockies and Appalachian Mountain chains.  Veeries winter in Brazil.  

Male Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis).
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

Female Eastern Bluebird.
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

Male Eastern Bluebird at nest.
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.

Juvenile Eastern Bluebird.
Rowan County, North Carolina.

The Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) is a common permanent resident in much of eastern North America, and south through the mountains of Mexico to Central America.  The northern-most populations migrate south for the winter.  Male Eastern Bluebirds are brilliant blue on the crown of the head, wings, back and tail.  They have a white belly and a reddish-orange breast. Females are only slightly less colorful with muted blue on their head and back.  Juvenile Eastern Bluebirds have spots on the breast denoting their thrush heritage.  Eastern Bluebirds naturally nest in old woodpecker holes and will happily use man-made boxes.    

Male American Robin (Turdus migratorius).
Rowan County, North Carolina.

American Robins (Turdus migratorius) are the largest thrushes in eastern North America.   While the genus Turdus invites snickers from middle school boys, the word is Greek for thrush.  American Robins were named by early English settlers of North America because they resembled the European Robin, although the European bird is classified in an entirely different family.  The American Robin is one of the most recognizable of our birds with the dark brown or black head, dark back and tail and its brick red breast.  The coloration of the males is more intense than that of the females and the immature birds have spots on the breast.  American Robins eat fruits, insects and are a common sight feeding on worms in suburban lawns. 

Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus)
a vagrant thrush from Cuba.
Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden, Florida.

The Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus) is a native of the islands of the Greater Antilles and Bahamas but sometimes a stray will reach Florida.  In December 2020, at the height of the COVID 19 pandemic, one of these wayward Red-legged Thrushes showed up near Key West, Florida.  Diane and I went looking for this rare bird in the uncertain world of no vaccines, masks and closed businesses. It was reported at the Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden on Stock Key and luckily the garden was open to the public.  The friendly folks at the ticket counter looked at our binoculars and camera and knew why we had come.  They directed us to a fig tree near the entrance to the garden and there,  up on a limb near the crown of the tree was the Red-legged Thrush.  The bird was dark gray with white on the chin and a black throat.  It had orange on the belly, red eye rings and bright red legs.  There are several subspecies of Red-legged Thrush each on its own island.  The color pattern on this bird told us it had come from Cuba, only about 100 miles away.  

Thrushes have a marvelous variety of colors, from the subdued shading of Swainson’s Thrushes to the exuberance of the Eastern Bluebirds.  Their songs are musical and varied, and many species come right into our yards.  Soon the Hermit Thrushes will leave us to fly north to breed and the Wood Thrushes will return from the south and nest in our forests.  Swainson’s Thrushes and Veeries will pass through, and the American Robins and Eastern Bluebirds will begin nesting in our neighborhoods.  I am pleased to have these thrushes (spending time with us.   

American Robin eating Crab Apples (Malus sp.).
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. 

Orioles We Have Known

 

The male Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)
that appeared in our yard.
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

In January 2025 the orange, black and white wonder that is the Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) showed up in our yard.  Diane and I have been trying to get orioles to visit our yard for years.  Baltimore Orioles regularly winter in the Southeast, but we have not been lucky enough to attract one, until now.  

An oriole feeder with grape jelly and orange slices.
Rowan County, North Carolina.

Our friends gave us suggestions, put out orange slices, give them grape jelly, hang a sugar water feeder.  Of course, oriole feeders must be orange.  It seems orioles are attracted to that color, whether it is an orange fruit or an orange-colored feeder.  We did all these things and despite the temptations, the orioles stayed away.  

An oriole feeder with nectar.
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

There are 32 species of orioles in the New World.  They have a mainly tropical distribution, but 8 species are regularly found in North America.  As you move toward the equator the oriole diversity goes up.  New World Orioles are in the Blackbird family, the Icteridae and share a common color pattern of black, white and orange or yellow. Orioles eat insects including tent caterpillars, nectar and the darkest and ripest fruit. Most oriole species build woven, gourd-shaped hanging nests. Old World Orioles have a similar color pattern to the New World Orioles but are classified in a completely different family, the Oriolidae.  

Male Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius).
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. 

The Eastern United States has two native oriole species, the Baltimore Oriole and the Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius).  Both these orioles nest in eastern North America and winter in the Southeastern United States or the tropics.  Orchard Orioles are smaller than Baltimore Orioles and the males are dark chestnut and black with white wing bars while the females are yellow.  We see Orchard Orioles in spring and summer in our area.  They prefer open woodlands and brushy edges of fields.   

Male Baltimore Oriole.
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

Male Baltimore Orioles have black heads, backs and wings with bright orange below, an orange shoulder patch and bright orange spots on the black tail.  Female Baltimore Orioles and olive above and yellow below with white on the wings.  The name of this bright bird comes from its color pattern that matches  the orange and black on the coat of arms of Lord Baltimore. The American League baseball team, the Baltimore Orioles, also sport the same color scheme as the bird. 

Immature male Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii).
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. 

The American west has even more species of orioles.  The western counterpart of the Baltimore Oriole is the Bullock’s Oriole (Icterus bullockii).  The male Bullock’s Oriole looks similar to male Baltimore Oriole.   Bullock’s have a large white patch on the wings and more orange on the head than the Baltimore.  Female and immature Bullock's Orioles are yellow rather than orange and lack the black of the adult males.  Bullock’s Oriole and Baltimore Oriole were once considered to be the same species and were named the Northern Oriole. This lumping of the two species came about because they can produce fertile hybrids where their ranges overlap on the plains of North America.  Further analysis of the genetics and distribution of the hybrids indicates Bullock’s and Baltimore Orioles are different species.  We have seen Bullock’s Orioles throughout the American west in spring and summer on their breeding grounds and in Mexico in winter.  Sometimes a Bullock’s Oriole will take a wrong turn on migration and end up in the eastern United States.  One of these wrong-way Bullock’s spent a winter visiting a feeder in a Charlotte, North Carolina suburb.  This bird attracted many people, including us, anxious to see this rarity. 

Male Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus).
Crooked Tree Wildlife Refuge, Belize.

Male Hooded Oriole.
Portal, Arizona.

The Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus) is widely distributed in the west, ranging from California to Texas, south through Mexico and into Belize. Many of the Hooded Orioles in the United States migrate to Mexico for the winter.  Male Hooded Orioles are orange or bright yellow with a black back, tail, throat and black wings with white wing bars.  Females are yellow with dark gray wings.   We have encountered Hooded Orioles in Arizona, Texas, Mexico and Belize.  The Male Hooded Orioles we saw in Texas and Belize were brilliant orange while those in southeast Arizona were bright yellow.  

 

Audubon's Oriole (Icterus graduacauda).
McMullen County, Texas. 

South Texas is THE place in the United States to see Audubon’s Orioles (Icterus graduacauda) and Altamira Orioles (Icterus gularis).  The northern end of their ranges are in Texas and they go south to Mexico, and for the Altamira into Central America.  Both male and female Audubon’s Orioles are yellow with a black head, wings and tail.  They are a shy species and skulk in thick brush. We got brief glimpses of Audubon’s Orioles in several locations in south Texas.   

Altamira Oriole (Icterus gularis).
Salineno Wildlife Preserve, Texas.

Altamira Oriole with nest.
Crooked Tree Wildlife Preserve, Belize.

Altamira Orioles are the largest of the New World Orioles.  They have dazzling orange heads and bodies with black tails, backs, throats and a black mask.  The wings are black with white wing bars and orange epaulets.  Males and females have a similar color pattern.  We saw Altamira Orioles in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas and in Belize we saw them building a magnificent hanging nest.  

Male Black-cowled Oriole (Icterus prosthemelas).
La Milpa Field Station, Belize.

The Black-cowled Oriole (Icterus prosthemelas) is a tropical species found from southern Mexico to Panama.  This handsome bird is much blacker than most of the other orioles. The males have black heads and breasts, black wings and black tails. Their rumps, bellies and shoulders are bright yellow.   In the northern part of the range females have more yellow on the crown of the head and neck but in the south males and females look similar.  We found Black-cowled Orioles in Belize and Costa Rica.  

Yellow-tailed Oriole (Icterus mesomelas) carrying nest material.
Ammo Dump Ponds, Panama Canal, Panama. 

Another beautiful tropical species is the Yellow-tailed Oriole (Icterus mesomelas).  This stunning black and yellow oriole is widespread from southern Mexico through Central America and into northern South America.  It has a yellow head, breast and belly with a black throat and mask, black wings with yellow wing bars and a tail that is black on the top and yellow beneath.  We have seen Yellow-tailed Orioles in Belize and Panama. 

Male Baltimore Oriole.
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

We have gotten to know all 8 of the regularly occurring orioles in the United States and 15 of the 32 New World Orioles. This winter a gorgeous adult male Baltimore Oriole appeared in our yard, and he has stayed with us for over a month.  What was the secret to finally getting an oriole to visit?  Was it the orange oriole feeders, the grape jelly, the orange slices?  None of these. We have never seen this bird on any of the standard oriole attractors.  It has been a cold winter, and we think the harsh weather sent this bird to our yard.  Our Baltimore Oriole eats suet and sunflower seeds.  He has studiously avoided the feeders we were sure would bring him to the yard.  As far as winter orioles go, I think you just need to be lucky. 

 

 

Winter Buds

 

American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) leaf bud.
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

The woods are quiet in winter.  The bare trees look stark against the sky, but on their branches they bear buds that are ready to produce the new growth of spring.  The buds contain tiny flowers or leaves just waiting to open.  In late summer and fall trees stop growing and buds form. The buds enter a state of dormancy that have low water requirements and low metabolic rates.  Buds are covered by scales that protect the tiny leaves or miniscule flowers that are waiting out the winter. The scales are waterproof and provide shelter from the cold, dry winter weather.  

Pignut Hickory (Carya glabra) leaf buds.
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

Mockernut Hickory (Carya tomentosa) leaf buds.
Rowan County, North Carolina.

Painted Buckeye (Aesculus sylvatica) leaf buds.
Davidson County, North Carolina. 

As winter wanes, the bud dormancy is broken.  This is triggered by environmental signals, usually day-length and temperature.  The buds expand and the bud scales fall off.  The leaves or flowers of the bud unfurl, and the new year’s flush of growth begins.  

Red Maple (Acer rubra) flower buds.
These buds will open before the leaves
revealing red flowers. 
Rowan County, North Carolina.

Pinxter Azaela (Rhododendron periclymenoides) flower bud.  
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) flower buds. 
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

The four scales of the Flowering Dogwood bud will open
and produce the four white bracts we think of as petals.
Small yellow-green flowers will be at the center.
Rowan County, North Carolina.   

When identifying trees, leaves are the main feature I use. However, most deciduous trees drop their leaves in the fall.  But in winter, buds are good tools to reveal a tree’s identity.  Bud shape, size, color and arrangement are all clues in identifying trees. 

American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) leaf buds.
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

Winged Elm (Ulmus alata) leaf buds.
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

Some trees we think of as deciduous do not drop their leaves in the fall but retain them throughout the winter.  This condition is called marcescence.  American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) and Oaks (Quercus sp.) are often marcescent.  The marcescent leaves are commonly found on young trees or on lower branches of larger trees. There are several hypotheses about the reason for this, including one that says the leaves protect the buds for the coming year.  

American Beech leaf bud with a marcescent leaf. 
Rowan County, North Carolina.  

Post Oak (Quercus stellata) leaf buds on a branch
with a marcescent leaf and acorn cap.
Rowan County, North Carolina. 

I enjoy the quiet of winter.  Seeing the tree buds, ready to start a new season, makes me smile because they are a foretaste of what is to come.    

Thanks to Dr. Jay Bolin for identifying the hickory buds. 

New Zealand Waterbirds 2

 

Variable Oystercatcher (Haeatopus unicolor). 
Tawharanui Regional Park, New Zealand. 

Our trip to New Zealand in October 2024 was during the spring of the year in the southern hemisphere.   We saw some lingering winter birds and many that were breeding or had young. I have written about these experiences in several blogs   I will finish discussing New Zealand with one final blog on waterbirds. 

Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica).
Pukorokoro Shorebird Centre, New Zealand. 

Pukorokoro Shorebird Centre in Miranda was teeming with shorebirds.  The most abundant were the Bar-tailed Godwits (Limosa lapponica).  These large sandpipers had just arrived in New Zealand after completing an epic migration.  Bar-tailed Godwits fly from New Zealand to northern Australia, eastern China, the Russian coast then to western Alaska where they breed during the brief northern summer.  Then in September Bar-tailed Godwits make their most remarkable migration, directly across the Pacific to return to New Zealand, a distance of more than 7000 miles.    

Bar-tailed Godwits in flight.
Pukorokoro Shorebird Centre, New Zealand.

When we visited Pukorokoro Shorebird Centre there were many thousands of Bar-tailed Godwits feeding in the marsh.  Every so often the flock flushed, and the sky was filled with a wheeling mass of Godwits. They would swirl around for a few minutes then land again to feed or tuck their heads under their wings and sleep.  

Adult Red-breasted Dotterel (Charadris obscurus).
Tawharanui Regional Park, New Zealand. 

Juvenile Red-breasted Dotterel.
Tawharanui Regional Park, New Zealand. 

The Red-breasted Dotterel (Anarhynchus obscurus) is a large plover endemic to New Zealand.  It is brown above and in breeding plumage has an orange breast. We found an adult and newly hatched chick on the beach at Tawharanui Regional Park.  

Double-banded Plover (Anarhynchus bicinctus).
Tasman River, New Zealand. 

Double-banded Plovers (Anarhynchus bicinctus) breed only in New Zealand with most of the population nesting in braided river valleys of the South Island.  Many members of this Near Threatened species winter on the east coast of Australia. This is a rare case of east to west migration. Double-banded Plovers are brown above and white below with two bands, one black and one reddish brown on the breast.  We saw many Double-banded Plovers along the braided Tasman River in Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park.  

Pied Stilts (Himantopus leucocephalus).
Pukorokoro Shorebird Centre, New Zealand. 

Pied Stilts (Himantopus leucocephalus) are found primarily in New Zealand and Australia but range to New Guinea, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia.  They are small black-and-white wading birds with long pink legs and long thin beaks.  Pied Stilts are common on freshwater throughout New Zealand. 

Black Stilt (Himantopus novaezelandiae). 
Lake Tekapo, New Zealand. 

Black Stilts (Himantopus novaezelandiae) are an endangered New Zealand endemic bird.  The New Zealand Department of Conservation reported 169 birds in the wild in 2023 making Black Stilts one of the rarest birds in the world.  They breed in the braided river valleys of the South Island and the Department of Conservation has a breeding facility near Twizel.  Black Stilts live up to their name with a solid black body and the pink legs characteristic of the stilts. We were lucky enough to find a pair of Black Stilts feeding in a pond near Lake Tekapo. 

Hoary-headed Grebe (Poliocephalus poliocephalus). 
Lake Elterwater, New Zealand. 

We saw three different species of grebes in New Zealand. Grebes are waterbirds that swim on the surface like ducks and dive for food.  Hoary-headed Grebes (Poliocephalus poliocephalus) are small dark grebes with white feathers on their faces.  Most of the world population is in Australia where they are widespread and common.  A few have colonized New Zealand, and we found a single Hoary-headed Grebe at Lake Elterwater on the South Island.  

New Zealand Dabchicks (Poliocephalus rufopectus). 
Rotoroua, New Zealand. 

The New Zealand Dabchick or New Zealand Grebe (Poliocephalus rufopectus) is a New Zealand endemic.  It has a dark back and head, reddish brown breast and a striking yellow eye.  The New Zealand Dabchick is found only on the North Island where due to conservation efforts it has gone from Endangered to a Species of Least Concern in 30 years.   

Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus).
Lake Wanaka, New Zealand. 

Great Crested Grebes mating display.
Lake Wanaka, New Zealand. 

The largest and most impressive grebe we found was the Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus). This Old World grebe ranges from northwestern Europe and southern Africa to Japan, Australia and New Zealand.  The Great Crested Grebe has a white, black and rufous head with bright red eyes and a prominent crest.  They also have extravagant breeding behavior where males and females face off, stretch their necks and stand up in the water.  We saw Great Crested Grebes doing their courtship dance on Lake Wanaka on the South Island.  

Pacific Reef Heron (Egretta sacra).
Kaikoura, New Zealand. 

Pacific Reef Herons (Egretta sacra) are found throughout the western Pacific and reach their southern limit in New Zealand.  These dark blue-gray herons have a heavy beak and are found in many seaside habitats ranging from mangroves to rocky shorelines.  

White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae).
Tawharanui Regional Park, New Zealand. 

The most common heron we encountered in New Zealand was the White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae).  This medium-sized gray heron has a white face and ranges from Indonesia and New Guinea to Australia and New Zealand.   The White-faced Heron is a relative newcomer to New Zealand.  The first White-faced Herons colonized New Zealand in the 1940s and their numbers have increased since then.  Now they are now found throughout both the North and South Islands.  

Nanking Night Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus).
Wharganui River, New Zealand.  

We saw another heron that introduced itself to New Zealand from Australia, the Nankeen Night Heron (Nycticorax caledoinicus).  A small population of these herons is established along the Wharganui River on the North Island.  During the day they roost in trees and as their name suggests, Nankeen Night Herons feed along the river at night. 

Sacred Kingfishers (Todiramphus sanctus).
Whargunui River, New Zealand.

The Sacred Kingfisher (Todiramphius sanctus) is found throughout New Zealand, Australia and many Pacific islands.  It has a blue back, wings and head with a white collar, and white and buff underneath.  Sacred Kingfishers feed not just on fish but on a wide variety of invertebrates and even small birds. 

Oystercatchers are large black or black-and-white shorebirds.   New Zealand has two species, the Variable Oystercatcher (Haematopus unicolor) and the South Island Oystercatcher (Haemoatopus finschi). Both species are endemic.  Despite its name South Island Oystercatchers can be found on both the North and South Islands.  It breeds on the South Island and winters on the North Island. The South Island Oystercatcher has a black back and head, white breast and belly, a bright orange bill and a red eye ring.  

South Island Oystercatcher (Haematopus finschi).
Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park, New Zealand. 

Variable Oystercatchers are found along the coasts of both islands.  They are usually black, but some have white on the belly giving them the name Variable.  Both species of Oystercatchers use their long, stout beaks to catch invertebrates, including oysters, in marshes and tidal flats. 

Variable Oystercatchers.
Tawharanui Regional Park, New Zealand. 

New Zealand has fired my imagination since I was a child.  Fueled by movies like Mysterious Island and In Search of the Castaways, I was convinced New Zealand was a realm of wonders.  Seeing the real thing did not disappoint.  Volcanos and glaciers, waterfalls and subtropical beaches, forests and salt marshes, and birds, birds, birds fulfilled my vision of New Zealand.  And beyond the natural world the residents of New Zealand were friendly, open, helpful and just plain glad to see tourists from half-way around the world.