Baer’s Pochards have sleek dark gray and sometimes black head with hues of brown, red, and white on their sides. They have a distinctive white band on their wings which can only be seen when they have their wings open. It’s estimated that this species can reach depths of more than six feet under the surface of tehr water during mealtime and hold its breath for nearly 40 seconds at a time. 

Baer’s Porchards are one of the most Critically Endangered ducks in the world with an estimated 150 – 700 mature individuals in the wild. Their population has plummeted quickly in just the last 25 years, but the reasons are not well understood. 

The striking Scarlet-faced Liocichla is found in the dense, hilly forests in Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and China. These birds are typically furtive, spending much of their time foraging in the forest undergrowth. Scarlet-faced Liocichlas are known for being very vocal and musical like other members of the bird family that contains laughinghthrushes and babblers. As such, they are susceptible to illegal wildlife trafficking.

The Pink-headed Fruit-Dove is a stunning resident of the montane forests in high mountains throughout Indonesia. They feed on figs and small berries, staying high up in the forest canopy. This species lays a single egg, which the male incubates during the day and the female at night. While the Pink-headed Fruit-Dove is considered a species of least concern, it is facing declines in the wild. Pink-headed Fruit-Doves are found in a very restricted range, found only in very tall mountain regions within a band of high elevation forests, and deforestation poses a threat to their habitat.

The Scaly-sided Merganser is a diving duck that breeds in Siberia, northern China, and Korea, and winters in southern China and in Russia. This species makes its home along clear, fast-flowing mountain rivers and forested streams in the taiga, a swampy coniferous forest between the tundra and the steppes. Scaly-sided Merganser females sometimes end up caring for two or even three times the number of their chicks through a process called “brood amalgamation,” where other females’ chicks get absorbed into a different brood. The species is endangered, and is harmed by logging, dam construction, gold mining, and recreational water use.

A very common dabbling duck of the Nearctic region, and introduced elsewhere where it is sometimes considered an invasive pest, the Mallard occurs on almost any body of shallow water, but especially those with submerged or floating vegetation. In the breeding season the Mallard eats mostly animal foods such as aquatic insect larvae and snails, but at other times of year they favor seeds, aquatic vegetation, and cereal crops. The Mallard usually nests near water but on the ground  in upland areas, with the nest hidden under overhanging vegetation.

The Pied Imperial-Pigeon is a very large inhabitant of coastal forests, mangroves and coconut plantations, principally on islands in the Indo-Malayan region. This species travels in flocks at dusk and dawn and nests in colonies of up to tens of thousands of birds. They are among the most powerful and agile flyers in the bird world, and they have very large flight muscles. This has enabled them to colonize many different islands across expansive stretches of open water.

The closest living relative to the now extinct Dodo, the Nicobar Pigeon occurs only on small wooded, often uninhabited islands of the Indo-Malayan region, where it favors lowland habitats such as mangroves, scrub, and lowland and foothill forests. It may also occur in some forests which have been selectively logged. This species nests colonially, with sometimes several nests being placed in a single tree. Like other pigeons, the Nicobar feeds primarily on fallen fruits and seeds on the ground. A gizzard stone that is contained in the Nicobar Pigeon’s stomach helps the bird to grind up hard food items. When Nicobar pigeons drink they submerge their beak and suck up water, instead of sipping as other birds do.

The beautiful Luzon Bleeding-heart gets its name for the scarlet markings on its chest. Found throughout primary and secondary forests in the Philippines, the Luzon Bleeding-heart feeds on seeds, berries, and insects along the forest floor. Their call is a mournful coo. The species is generally considered rare or scarce, and is considered to be Near Threatened. It is vulnerable to habitat destruction and hunting.

The Green-winged Dove, also called the Asian Emerald Dove or the Grey-capped Emerald Dove, is found in a wide range of forest types, including rainforests, mangroves, and bamboo forests, throughout Southeast Asia. It primarily eats seeds and fallen fruits on the forest floor, but occasionally eats insects including termites and snails, and can sometimes be found on farmyards feeding alongside pigs and domestic fowl. The Green-winged Dove is not globally threatened, but predation by rats and feral cats poses a danger.

Black-naped Fruit-Doves are colorful birds, common on the islands of Java, Bali, and Sulawesi. Males are a rainbow of colors, with a yellow throat patch, purplish wing tips, red undertail feathers, and a silvery head topped with a black cap. Females are almost entirely green. They forage for berries and fruits in pairs or small flocks, plucking fruits directly from the trees. Black-naped Fruit-Doves may eat as many as 36 different fruits, making this species ecologically important as a seed disperser. This species is not globally threatened.

The Palawan Peacock-pheasant is a gorgeous bird with vibrant plumage; males have bright blue accents while females have striking markings and less colorful plumage. The spots on their feathers resemble eyes and may help scare away predators. Males use their remarkable plumage in an elaborate courtship display. Palawan Peacock-pheasants are strictly monogamous, and both males and females help with the rearing of young. Like many related pheasants, this species is threatened by loss of habitat and hunting.

A fabulously majestic resident of tall, dry, primary, and secondary forests of the Indo-Malayan region, the Great Argus forages solitarily for fruit, seeds, flowers, and invertebrates on the forest floor. The bird’s taxonomic and common names both derive from Argus, the hundred-eyed giant, from Greek mythology (a reference to the many eye-like spots on the Argus’s wings and tail). Male Great Argus put on quite a courtship show on their “dancing grounds”: they carefully clear an area of all debris, then march in circles and stomp their feet loudly in front of the female. Then, he’ll show off his feathers in an incredible display, with wing feathers fanned out around his body and his two long tail feathers high up above him. The male’s call is a very loud and startling, “Kwow-wow!” Habitat loss from legal and illegal logging and hunting and trapping threaten the future of this remarkable pheasant.