Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Answers to Quiz #1 Photo #1 & #2

The first photo was more difficult but most people got it right! Without seeing the bill you needed to do a bit of detective work. Look at the habitat, what the bird was doing and key out a shorebird. Looking at the tail pattern, leg color, and feathering on the back would help in its identifaction. After determing it to be a dowitcher, but which one, you would than look at the tertial feathers and note that they are plain with no internal markings. This would rule out Short-billed. There are very good illistrations of juvenile dowitchers in both Sibley and the N.G. Birds of Eastern or Western N.A.


Photo #1 Juvenile Long-billed Dowitcher


Photo #2 Blue-headed Vireo

The second photo is a Blue-headed Vireo. Note the white spectacle, grayish on the head, yellowish flanks and heavy bill.

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