You’ve purchased one of the many bird field guides/books to help you identify birds at your feeder or backyard. While you page through some pictures of similar birds, the descriptors can be confusing or even frustrating. Who knew that you could see 13 species of sparrows in the Times News area? Or, on your commute to work, you see a raptor, and being a safe driver, you only remember a few details of its appearance. Sometimes, all you need to know to identify a specific bird, are a few field marks or feather colors.
Some birds, like a cardinal or blue jay will show a crest, although not always. I bet that is one field mark of which you are familiar. Size of the bird can be helpful, but if by itself, size can be deceiving. For example, a raven is considerably larger than a crow, but if you see a one large black bird sitting on a fence post 100 yards away, it may be impossible to identify it just by its size.
I’ll try to sort out a few of the commonly used anatomical terms used in bird guides to make it easier for you to tell “one sparrow from another.”
I bet that the more time you spend cooking, the more likely you are at preparing foods better and easier. Well, the more time you spend in the outdoors watching birds, the quicker you know one bird species from another.
So, get out there.
Test Your outdoor knowledge: On one of your bird walks you find feathers scattered on the snow’s surface. You realize that a hawk or owl has found some prey. Just from that evidence, how do you determine whether it was an owl or a hawk?
Last Week’s Trivia Answer: The barn owl is the only owl species in North America that will nest at various times of the year. A barn owl may begin brooding her eggs in September or October when all the other owls, and other bird species too, have long finished the nesting process.
Email Barry Reed at breed71@gmail.com
Most small birds need to be identified by their many facial characteristics. Some birds have a mask (not the Lone Ranger) like this cedar waxwing. BARRY REED PHOTOS
Some birds can be identified by an eye line. This red-breasted nuthatch, a regular visitor and sometimes resident bird, distinctly displays. BARRY REED PHOTOS
As I mentioned in the column, you can find many sparrow species. Two can be very confusing, but the yellow lores of this white-throated sparrow will easily distinguish it from the white-crowned sparrow.
A bird's forehead coloration is a helpful field mark. The American goldfinch has a distinctive black forehead.
Some birds, like this horned lark, fairly common locally, display the fieldmark of a moustache.
A bird's eye ring, or lack of, is a key field mark. Many warblers and flycatcher species can be identified by this. Here a solitary sandpiper, photographed along Lizard Creek shows that eye ring clearly.
A red-bellied woodpecker displays a bright red nape. This can be a useful field mark for many birds, often woodpecker species.
A crest, or lack of, helps to identify some birds. Here a belted kingfisher displays a crest soon after emerging from an unsuccessful dive for a minnow. (not a “good hair day.”)
A bird's breast color(s) are usually very helpful in identifying birds. It certainly is the field mark that makes the rose-breasted grosbeak unmistakable.
Many ducks, or even gulls, have bills with dark tips, rings, or other colors. These field marks can be quite reliable in identification. This redhead (duck) prominently displays one.
Wingbars, often white or yellowish, are great things to look for as you try to ID a bird. The pine siskin displays wingbars.
In about one month the fence posts and cattails will soon be the display areas for male red-winged blackbirds. They don't have red wings, but bright scapulars, another bird field mark to look for.
Snow geese, in flight, display their black primary feathers. The flight feather colors can be quite useful in bird identification.