Alpine Swift (Tachymarptis melba)
King Eider (Somateria spectabilis)
Only swift in the region with white underparts divided by breastband. Upperparts brown. Distinctly bigger than Swift, with robust build and powerful flight. Tail short with rather shallow fork. Wing-action slower than Swift, with each beat discernible. May give Hobby-like impression at a distance .
Sound:Seldom heard except in breeding season. Call a long, hard, trilling note, reminiscent of Temminck's Stint . Also a short, cut-off pju pju pju used as alarm call.
Contact call:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCSlightly smaller than Eider. Male at close range unmistakable. At a distance the black back is diagnostic. Female similar to female Eider, but feathering on bill is not reaching nostrils, giving the bird a peculiar "smile". Head shape is less triangular with a steeper forehead, and nail of bill is black. V-shaped barring on flanks.
Sound:Male: Calls similar to Eider but easily distinguished by the vibrating quality. A "aaaooooooh" (shorter in duration than Eider) Starting on a low note, slowly ascending and ending on a descending note with a distinct vibrato/pulse. Often in the form of three calls: "oohh, a-ohhh hahahaoohohohoh". Usually accompanied by the female "ga ga ga ga".
Display-calls:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCSounds:Recorded by Andrew Spencer,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license