Fall Bird Identification Quiz, Part II

Fall bird migration is continuing steady, with communities changing slightly—or even drastically—on a daily basis.  Let’s continue studying possible migrants with another bird identification quiz! 

1.  As before, let’s begin with an easier one. 

2.  During the spring and summer, this species is commonly found in large shade trees. 

3.  Hint: You may spot this little sprite around bodies of water. 

4.  This species is part of a group that can be challenging to sort out. 

5.  One of the LBBs, or little brown birds: 

6.  Another fairly drab bird on a wire: 

Answers: 

1.  The Red-breasted Nuthatch is frequently seen during migration.  It is known as an irruptive species, since it moves farther south in larger numbers when food sources are scarce father north.   It has a nasal call that sounds like a toy trumpet.  Although it looks somewhat similar to the White-breasted Nuthatch, its smaller size, reddish breast, and black stripes on the sides of the head help to make it distinctive. 

2.  Great Crested Flycatchers have several close relatives in the Myiarchus genus.  Of these species, only the Great Crested Flycatcher is commonly found in most of eastern North America, so it's usually not a major challenge to identify it.  The yellow belly against the olive-green plumage; long, rust-tinged tail; and bushy crest are good field marks.

3.  This photo was taken in the late spring; the Spotted Sandpiper actually lacks spots in the fall and winter.  However, even if you see birds with drabber plumage, several features are helpful in clinching the identification, including continuous tail-bobbing behavior, shallow wingbeats, greenish-yellow legs, and piping calls.

4.  Eastern Wood-Pewees, like the Great Crested Flycatchers that we previously discussed, are in the tyrant flycatcher family, or Tyrannidae.  Many members of this family look similar to one another.  Fortunately, size, behavior, habitat, and vocalizations help to differentiate these birds!  For example, the Eastern Wood-Pewee, genus Contopus, commonly returns to the same perch over and over again when it is flycatching, which is different from most of the similar-looking flycatchers in the Empidonax genus (e.g., the Acadian Flycatcher, the Least Flycatcher, and many others).  Wood-Pewees are also bulkier and have duskier plumage than the Empidonax flycatchers.

5.  Sparrows are a notoriously tricky group.  In this case, the short tail, yellow-tinged lores, finely streaked breast, and pinkish bill point to an identification of Savannah Sparrow.  True to its name, this species forages in open fields and grasslands.  It has a thin, insect-like call.

6.  Yet another tyrant flycatcher!  This one is the familiar Eastern Phoebe, which is common in most of eastern North America.  Its dark head, gray back and wings, long tail, and yellowish flanks make it distinctive.  If this were a video, instead of a still image, you would undoubtedly be able to witness the bird repeatedly wagging its tail.  I will say that the phoebes in my region of the country seem to have recovered well from their local population crash in early 2021.