View allAll Photos Tagged birdidentification
A sparrow flew across the path and landed. He gave me a good look.
My first thought on ID was Song Sparrow. But then I had second and third thoughts. He didn't have the gravy stain on his chest that is my clue for SOSP. Or the yellow near the eye for Savanah Sparrow. It shouldn't be this hard.
"...the bill color is usually a good field mark, Savannah have a pinkish lower mandible with a grayer upper mandible. Song have a dark upper mandible with a grayish lower mandible. This is not too variable except that some juvenile Song Sparrows can have a pink-based bill but it is usually much darker overall.
Some plumage differences include the streaking on the chest and flanks, coloration of the lores, and the face coloration. All Savannah Sparrows (with few exceptional individuals) will show much finer streaking on the chest. Compare the photos below [ no photos ] and it will be quite obvious that Song Sparrows have thicker streaking which gives an overall different impression. For most subspecies of Savannah and Song the coloration of the lores can be helpful. Savannah have yellow lores while Song have while lores. Juvenile Song Sparrows can show yellowish lores but the rest of the bird doesn't match up to a Savannah. Some Savannah can also show white lores but the subspecies of Savannah Sparrows that show this have limited ranges. The overall face coloration can also be helpful in identification. The Song usually shows a gray face while the Savannah shows a much browner face.
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Luckily for us birders, the Vesper Sparrow is no where near as variable as the other two species discussed. As with the last comparison, the long, rounded tail of the Song is very distinct from the short tail of the Vesper. The Vesper Sparrow tends to be shaped more like a Song Sparrow in general though; it's a plumper bird just as the Song Sparrow tends to be. Also, Vesper Sparrows have practically no primary extension (the extenion of the primaries past the tertials) while Song Sparrows have short primary projection but it is noticeable in the Song Sparrow.
There are many plumage characteristics that separate Vesper from Song Sparrows. One of the most noticeable is the white outer tail feather (R5, the 2nd outermost feather, has a white tip). The white outertails are very noticeable in flight. The bold, white eyering is also noticeable in most situations. The overall face pattern is distinct; the white "u" that outlines the auriculars is unmatched by the Song Sparrow. The streaking is finer (slightly bolder on average than Savannah) than Song Sparrow. Vespers also have rufous lesser coverts (shoulder) but in most instances this isn't visible so in general is not a good field mark to look for."
Eric & Rob Rimpa
A rock bunting perched on a lichen-covered branch, displaying its finely patterned plumage. Captured in soft natural light, the bird’s delicate features and earthy tones blend harmoniously with the blurred background, highlighting its presence in its mountainous habitat.
A black kite stands alert on the ground, bathed in warm sunlight. Its dark brown plumage blends harmoniously with the blurred earthy tones of the background
I'm not sure what species this little guy is - I've heard them called Sanderlings or Sandpipers. Perhaps a Flickr birder can clarify for me. In any case, walking along the beaches of PEI in September, there seemed to be quite a few little groups of them trotting along the edge of the surf along the beach. They moved around very quickly but I caught this one in the late afternoon sidelight, poking around for edibles. With the reflection in the still waters, it seemed to be doing the Snow White mirror, mirror incantation.
Confirmed as a Common Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus) by the Bird Identification Help Group www.flickr.com/groups/bird_id_group/ Spotted near Lake Victoria, Entebbe, Uganda. Many thanks to Brennan Mulrooney for the i.d.!
From a strategic metal post, a Black Phoebe surveys its surroundings, ready to dart after its next meal.
The Long-billed Curlew: North America’s Largest Shorebird - This elegant bird, with its distinctive long, curved bill, is a master forager. It uses its bill to probe deep into mud and sand for crabs and shrimp along coastal wintering grounds, and picks up grasshoppers in the grasslands of the Great Plains during breeding season. Imaged at Torrey Pines Beach, San Diego, California, USA.
A small bird with a long tail that is held cocked. Its tail is usually blue (except juveniles, which have brown tails). Breeding males have a pale blue crown, cheek, and back with a strong black line from the bill through the eyes and around the back of the head. Nonbreeding males are fairly plain grayish-brown birds with black bills and bright blue tails. Females have a duller blue tail and a reddish bill.
The green oriole or Australasian yellow oriole, (Oriolus flavocinctus) is an inconspicuous inhabitant of lush tropical vegetation throughout Australia and New Guinea.
They are often difficult to locate, as their yellow-green plumage blends with the foliage and only their deep bubbling musical calls can be heard.
Striking warbler with vastly different male and female plumages. Breeding males unique deep blue above with black face and sides, and white belly. Females are plain brownish-olive with dingy buffy underparts and subtle face pattern. Look for small white patch on the wing. Forages for insects in lower and mid-stories of mature forest, favoring hills with thick undergrowth. Found in nearly any wooded or shrubby habitat during migration.
The long-tailed meadowlark (Leistes loyca) is a passerine bird of southern South America and the Falkland Islands, belonging to the meadowlark genus Leistes in the icterid family that looks very similar to the related endangered species, the Pampas meadowlark.
An endemic subspecies, L. loyca falklandica, occurs in the Falkland Islands, where it is known as the military starling
The Great Cormorant is a large aquatic bird that is found in many parts of the world. It is known for its dark plumage, long neck, and hooked bill, and is often seen diving for fish. The bird is also a common subject for nature photographers, who capture its elegant form and impressive hunting skills in stunning detail.
The Nazca booby (Sula granti) is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae, native to the eastern Pacific. It has a typical sulid body shape, with a long pointed orange-yellow bill, long neck, aerodynamic body, long slender wings and pointed tail. The adult is bright white with black and white wings, a black tail and a dark face mask.
It is a rather scruffy-looking bird, with a total length of approximately 34 cm (13 in). The sexes are very similar in appearance, except that the female is slightly larger than the male. Juveniles appear quite similar to adults.
The species has dark brown upperparts streaked with white, and whitish-buff throat, breast, underparts and rump. The tail is relatively long and broad, dark brown in color with a white-tip, and the legs are dark gray. The eyes and beak are yellow to orange, with a thin ring of featherless yellow skin around the eye (this commonly fades in captivity). There is a prominent orange-rufous crest.
Like other members of the subfamily Crotophaginae, the guira cuckoo gives off a strong, pungent odour
Some (but not all) of the range of variation in color and pattern of female and juvenile male Rufous Hummingbirds.
Top row: adult females
Middle row: juvenile females
Bottom row: juvenile males
All birds were photographed in hand as part of documentation during the Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory's hummingbird monitoring studies.
See my Hummingbirds album for additional comparisons of tails and heads of Rufous., Allen's Broad-tailed, and more.
Summer adult male yellow-rumped warblers have slate-blue backs and yellow crowns (barely visible here). As a male myrtle warbler, this individual has a black "mask"
Forest Gem
So there I was, barely awake at 4am for my very first bird watching trip. I dragged myself to La Mesa Ecopark before the 5:30am meetup, thinking I must be crazy to wake up this early just to look at birds. After some briefings about the eco park and what to expect, we headed into the nature trail around 6am. Two hours in, when my legs were already getting tired and I was wondering if we'd actually see more, our guide suddenly stopped and pointed up. There it was - a Philippine frogmouth just sitting there on a branch like it was posing for us. The guide mentioned these birds are pretty uncommon to spot, which made me feel like I'd won some kind of birding lottery on my first try. What struck me most was how the bird seemed just as curious about us as we were about it - like we were having this mutual staring contest in the middle of the forest.
The bird looked absolutely incredible perched on the tree there among the green leaves, almost like it was part of the tree itself. Its feathers were this mix of browns and grays that blended so well with the bark, and it had these distinctive tufts of feathers sticking up from its head. I managed to get my camera focused at about 12.75 meters away, and even with all my amateur fumbling with the settings, the shot came out pretty decent. The way it sat so still and alert, with those big dark eyes watching everything - and especially watching us - was both beautiful and slightly mysterious. Its camouflage was so good that I probably would have walked right past it if the guide hadn't spotted it first.
The Hood mockingbird (Mimus macdonaldi) also known as the Española mockingbird is a species of bird in the family Mimidae. It is endemic to Española Island in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, and it is one of four closely related mockingbird species endemic to the Galápagos archipelago.
The bird is extremely aggressive and curious, and has no fear of humans whatsoever. The bird will chase after tourists in search of food, drink, or any unusual object. In some cases, the species will attempt to obtain water from tourists by pecking at their water bottles.
Their monotonous cooing will be a familiar sound to many of you. Although you'll often see them on their own or in pairs, flocks may form where there is a lot of food available. RSPB
Blue Jays have been known to have a fondness for peanut butter. While they primarily feed on nuts, seeds, fruits, and insects, they can be attracted to peanut butter when it's offered as a food source.
I put this up to see if some "in-the-know" friend like St Andrews Birder, or Cat Fish Bird, can tell me if these guys are some sort of Sand-Pipers? There is a quite a bit of motion-blur on their wings, but the rear one is fairly clear. They were beautiful, but didn't take too kindly to my ugly-mug being anywhere in their vicinity! The latest idea is that they are Dunlins?
Made Explore #274 0n 22 January 2009. I hesitated for a long time about posting this shot because I may have over-treated it in some peoples eyes, however I wanted to get those wave-ripples looking nice.
A male Western Bluebird perches elegantly among the branches, its rich blue and orange plumage glowing in the sunlight.
The willie (or willy) wagtail (Rhipidura leucophrys) is a passerine bird native to Australia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands.
The willie wagtail perches on low branches, fences, posts, and the like, watching for insects and other small invertebrates in the air or on the ground. It usually hunts by hawking flying insects such as gnats, flies, and small moths, but will occasionally glean from the ground.
The barred owl gets its name from the distinct horizontal barring pattern on its chest and belly. These markings resemble bars or stripes, hence the name
Nestled among lush greenery and vibrant blossoms, an Orange-crowned Warbler pauses for a moment of stillness in San Diego's Los Peñasquitos Preserve. This bird appears to be an Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata). The muted yellow-green plumage, faint streaking, sharp beak, and relatively plain facial markings are characteristic of this species. The orange crown (for which it's named) is usually hidden unless the bird raises its crown feathers.
Taken in the "Spiny desert" glasshouse in Cleveland Botanical Garden. It supposed to be from Madagascar or Sub-Saharan Africa.
Trying out a new approach to sharpening on this female House Finch. I think it is a House Finch - they look a lot like a Purple Finch. That doesn't help much because only the males are purple (... except the colouring looks more like red than purple!). House Finch males are bright red, but they are not called Red Finches. There is no purple or red on either type of female. ID is tough, but they are attractive by any name and I like the sharpening..
A beautifully marked male Common Teal (Anas crecca), captured during a peaceful moment in its natural wetland habitat. Despite its small size, this dabbling duck is full of charm with its iridescent green head patch and striking plumage. These birds are often seen in shallow waters and are among the most widespread and elegant ducks in Eurasia. This image highlights the delicate details and vibrant colors of one of Europe’s most stunning waterfowl species.
The collared whitestart (Myioborus torquatus), also known as the collared redstart, is a tropical New World warbler endemic to the mountains of Costa Rica and western-central Panama.