As autumn approaches, I feel like sharpening my bird
identification skills in preparation for the variety of species that I may see:
summer nesters on their way south, year-round resident birds, transients, and even
winter residents arriving from farther north.
Do you feel the same way? If so,
then here is a short identification quiz for the coming months!
1. Let’s start with something easy.
2. This one was foraging in the leaf litter.
3. This species is not uncommon around ponds, lakes, and
swamps.
4. Many individuals of this species can be found perching on wires, especially in the late summer and early fall.
5. This should be another fairly easy one.
6. It wouldn’t be a proper ID quiz without a half-hidden bird!
Answers:
1. The Barn Swallow is a common and colorful summer resident
throughout most of North America. The
blue upperparts, orange throat and forehead, and buffy underparts make the identification
simple. The forked tail is best seen
when the bird is flying.
2. Some warblers molt into drab plumage and are hard to
identify in the fall, but the Pine Warbler tends to look pretty much the same
at any time of year. However, young
birds and adult females with drabber plumage than usual may be confused with
other warbler species. In this
individual, the yellow spectacle-like markings on the face, the white wing
bars, the unstriped back, and the white undertail coverts clinch the
identification. It’s always a bit harder
when there aren’t lots of pine trees around, though!
3. Large, white herons often don’t pose any major identification
challenges, but there are always exceptions to the rule. Immature Little Blue Herons, like this one,
have white plumage (except for the wingtips, which are gray), so they may resemble
immature Snowy Egrets. However, their
two-toned gray-and-black bills are different from the largely black bills of
Snowy Egrets, and the skin around their eyes is blue, unlike the yellow lores
of Snowy Egrets. The legs and feet of
Little Blue Herons are generally a solid greenish-gray, while immature Snowy
Egrets have contrasting yellow feet. Little
Blue Herons commonly nest throughout the southeastern part of North America.
4. With its brown upperparts, dusky underparts, and blunt tail
tip, the Northern Rough-winged Swallow is probably the least flashy of the
North American swallows. Juveniles, like
the one in the photo, can have faint rust-colored bars on their wings. These swallows are extremely widespread in
North America.
5. In some regions (such as the Gulf Coast), Ospreys occur as
permanent residents. In most of the
lower 48 United States, you probably won’t see them unless they’re migrating. Interestingly, the Osprey can be found on
every continent but Antarctica.
6. Even with the branches partly obscuring the bird, the yellow belly, brown head and neck, slate-colored back and uppertail, white wing edges, and overall sleek appearance make it clear that this is a Cedar Waxwing. The pointed crest can barely be seen through the leaves. In Mississippi, where I live, this species is a winter resident, but it occurs all year in many states.
