Comments for Round Robin

Comment on Photo Quiz 2: Funky Birds With Bright Markings by Becci

Becci — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:24:51 +0000

@ Grant McCreary: “One of his points is that birders don’t really identify the birds they see – they recognize them. It was that way when I saw these photos.”

That’s exactly what happened with me when I saw the sora. I just know one when I see it, probably because I live near water and I’ve seen Virginia rails before, so I have a general idea of what these kinds of birds look like. For the dickcissel, I was obviously looking at the beak. I’m not so good at songbirds yet, though, and we don’t have dickcissels anywhere near here–I thought it looked similar to an evening grosbeak, but not the same. I’m actually really relieved that I wasn’t HUGELY far off.

Comment on Recording Mauritius: Tropical Island Sound-Check by sitta

sitta — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:35:49 +0000

Here’s hoping for your recording success! I’m definitely envious of your sojourn there, and look forward to hearing more updates as they trickle in…

Comment on From the Field: Recording Birdsong in Mauritius by Recording Mauritius: Tropical Island Sound-Check « Round Robin

Recording Mauritius: Tropical Island Sound-Check « Round Robin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:06:42 +0000

[...] everyone for weighing in on our photo quiz! Meanwhile, halfway around the world on Mauritius, recordist Jon Erickson has been unpacking his bags and aiming his microphone at the tamarind tree in his yard. Here’s [...]

Comment on Photo Quiz 2: Funky Birds With Bright Markings by Recording Mauritius: Tropical Island Sound-Check « Round Robin

Recording Mauritius: Tropical Island Sound-Check « Round Robin — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:40:04 +0000

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Comment on Photo Quiz: Cape May Edition by Joe Birds

Joe Birds — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:49:04 +0000

For a unexperienced like me the first thing will be visual look.. I think it’s different by the color.

A = white
B = Yellow

Comment on Photo Quiz 2: Funky Birds With Bright Markings by Michael Corcoran

Michael Corcoran — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:24:53 +0000

Thanks again Hugh!
I think we have arrived at the right answers (Sora/Dickcissel) but, how did we get there? Color is obviously helpful, sometimes essiential but, it is the last step in the process.
In Exhibit A, I see a stout chicken-like bird with riciulously long toes, almost no neck, and a short bill among the reeds in marsh.
Without considering color, habitat, structure and function have narrowed the field to one of two or three Rails. Color, The bright yellow bill and legs and the black throat make it a Sora.
In Exhibit B, color played a much bigger role in narrowing things down but, lets see how far we get. I see a small to medium sized bird with a real honker of a bill, perched on a seed head in grassland or meadow. Bill shape tells me it is definately a seed-eater, it could be a sparrow but, more likely a finch. Finally, we get to the yellow breast and eye stripe, the black bib and the rusty shoulder that make it a Dickcissel.

Comment on Photo Quiz 2: Funky Birds With Bright Markings by Grant McCreary

Grant McCreary — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:03:14 +0000

I was listening to the podcast of Alvaro Jaramillo’s talk from the Midwest Birding Symposium. One of his points is that birders don’t really identify the birds they see – they recognize them. It was that way when I saw these photos. My first thought was “those are really nice pictures of a Sora and Dickcissel”. I didn’t key in on specific field marks.

But if I had to step back and try to explain how someone could figure it out if they didn’t recognize them…

Sora – the bill and feet jump out at you. Those, combined with the vegetation, suggest some kind of marsh bird. And as Sarah already said, the overall shape indicates something like a rail or chicken. That should be enough to get you to the right place in the field guide.

Dickcissel – the overall shape is pretty obviously a songbird. That gets you to the right half of the field guide, and that big honker of a bill should get you to the back portion of the guide with the sparrows and finches. From there, the coloration would be obvious, since there’s nothing else close (well, meadowlarks are similar in plumage, but the shape is entirely wrong).

I’d say that the best way to learn to identify birds is to really study them, both in the field guides and in the field. That sounds pretty obvious, but going back to the Sora – you may not remember seeing a picture of a Sora, but if you’ve studied enough to have a general idea of what a rail is, then identifying that Sora would be much easier.

Comment on Photo Quiz 2: Funky Birds With Bright Markings by lesley

lesley — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:48:01 +0000

Im just learning so i always look at size and shape then go for size/colour of the beak to narrow it down, then where ive see it (habitat)
1st bird – Sora which is a small rail i think, has dark grey/brown upperparts with black/white streaks, grey breast, grey head dark crown/nape with black face, yellow bill/dark tip
2nd bird – Dickcissel
A breeding male? similar size as finch and beak similar shape to a bullfinch..i think

Comment on Photo Quiz 2: Funky Birds With Bright Markings by Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:52:52 +0000

A: Sora

B: Dickcissel.

I would look at the shape of the birds first:

A: Rail, Chicken?

B: finch

Then the beak

A: Short for a rail

B: Big finch beak
(Crossing out goldfinch)
Then browse the guide slowly.

Comment on Photo Quiz 2: Funky Birds With Bright Markings by Hugh

Hugh — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:58:49 +0000

Interesting answers so far… keep them coming! Remember we’re as interested in what you notice to identify the birds as in what the birds are. Thanks! – Hugh