Appearance:

Largely unmistakable. All black, with white frontal shield and pale bill. Very stocky build. Lacks the white lateral stripe and white under tail-coverts of Moorhen. White trailing edge of wings visible in flight. Juveniles paler and more grey than adults, often with whitish front and neck. Under tail-coverts are dark, unlike juvenile Moorhen.

Sound:

Varied. Usually short, metallic and explosive. Most diagnostic call a very short, sharp and explosive "tsk". Sometimes a longer, less sharp but nasal "caw", with varying harshness.

Various calls:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

Robust, compact and dark wader, with relatively long and slightly curved bill. Mostly seen in winter at the coast where it prefers rocky surfaces as opposed to most other waders. In winter plumage the base of bill and legs are yellow, and the upperparts grey with dark markings. Breeds in high Arctic and mountains. Summer plumage darker than winter, with brown fringes/spots on back, and darker bill and legs. Similar wing and rump pattern to Dunlin, but appears overall darker. Tail extends beyond wing tips of resting birds. Flight patterns at wintering grounds straight and low.

Sound:

Contact call a hoarse and hard "weet". Sometimes in chattering series. Song quite varied with series of short, nasal, vibrating sounds, interspersed with drawn out, slower calls.

Contact call:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Sounds:Recorded by Stein Ø. Nilsen,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license