Comments on: Abnormal birdQUIZ http://birdquiz.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/abnormal-birdquiz/ take the challenge and improve your bird identification skills Sat, 23 May 2009 22:25:34 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: lexi http://birdquiz.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/abnormal-birdquiz/#comment-975 lexi Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:49:28 +0000 http://birdquiz.wordpress.com/?p=44#comment-975 I'm going to say chipping sparrow. I'm 16 years old, and I'm still learning, but I have a passion for birds. There is trace evidence of the tell-tale cap of the chipping sparrow, and I've handled them before...is this right? I’m going to say chipping sparrow. I’m 16 years old, and I’m still learning, but I have a passion for birds. There is trace evidence of the tell-tale cap of the chipping sparrow, and I’ve handled them before…is this right?

]]> By: Tiff http://birdquiz.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/abnormal-birdquiz/#comment-918 Tiff Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:08:14 +0000 http://birdquiz.wordpress.com/?p=44#comment-918 OR, It could be a bird that got it's tail mowed up! OR, It could be a bird that got it’s tail mowed up!

]]> By: Tiff http://birdquiz.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/abnormal-birdquiz/#comment-917 Tiff Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:05:38 +0000 http://birdquiz.wordpress.com/?p=44#comment-917 I know! (I think.) It's part chipping sparrow, part swift the way that the tail spreads out. I'm goin' with Tim I know! (I think.) It’s part chipping sparrow,
part swift the way that the tail spreads out.

I’m goin’ with Tim

]]> By: mon@rch http://birdquiz.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/abnormal-birdquiz/#comment-864 mon@rch Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:32:23 +0000 http://birdquiz.wordpress.com/?p=44#comment-864 <a href="http://birdquiz.wordpress.com/2008/04/08/in-flight-birdquiz/" title="birdQUIZ by Mon@rch, on Flickr" rel="nofollow"></a> I knew this would be a tough one and I luckily had the advantage of seeing the bird in the hand with its measurements to compare to the book. This wasn’t one of my birds (was a sub-permited bander of mine) and wish I could have included those measurements with the post. One of the key things about this bird was the fact that it wasn’t 100% albino and only partial albino that gave us some field markings to use(Or we would have had a harder time with it)! Some of the guesses were; Grasshopper Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Field Sparrow, <i>Ammodramus species</i>, Black-chinned Sparrow, House Finch, <i>Spizella monarchii</i> (Like that one!!) and of course Susan guessed LBJ (Little Brown Job)! I am not going to analyze each species but this bird is for sure a <b>Field Sparrow</b>. Looking at this normal <a href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/53/186516212_c3451bddb4_o.jpg" rel="nofollow">Field Sparrow</a> and comparing it to the photo above . . . you will notice that the bill shape and coloring is identical. It is hard to see from the photo above but the back pattern and wing bars match with a Field Sparrow! What is confusing with this bird is the difference from what should be white and what is actually off white! This might have more to do with the exposure of the picture than its actual color. We were extremely interested in the light brown coloring in the auricular area but once again this is a mutant species! All other field marks (although faded) were there and was a great find! It was banded in summer 2006 and never returned in 2007! Thanks everyone for guessing this tough bird!

I knew this would be a tough one and I luckily had the advantage of seeing the bird in the hand with its measurements to compare to the book. This wasn’t one of my birds (was a sub-permited bander of mine) and wish I could have included those measurements with the post. One of the key things about this bird was the fact that it wasn’t 100% albino and only partial albino that gave us some field markings to use(Or we would have had a harder time with it)!

Some of the guesses were; Grasshopper Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Ammodramus species, Black-chinned Sparrow, House Finch, Spizella monarchii (Like that one!!) and of course Susan guessed LBJ (Little Brown Job)! I am not going to analyze each species but this bird is for sure a Field Sparrow.

Looking at this normal Field Sparrow and comparing it to the photo above . . . you will notice that the bill shape and coloring is identical. It is hard to see from the photo above but the back pattern and wing bars match with a Field Sparrow! What is confusing with this bird is the difference from what should be white and what is actually off white! This might have more to do with the exposure of the picture than its actual color. We were extremely interested in the light brown coloring in the auricular area but once again this is a mutant species! All other field marks (although faded) were there and was a great find! It was banded in summer 2006 and never returned in 2007! Thanks everyone for guessing this tough bird!

]]> By: aullori http://birdquiz.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/abnormal-birdquiz/#comment-863 aullori Tue, 08 Apr 2008 20:03:09 +0000 http://birdquiz.wordpress.com/?p=44#comment-863 "Spizella monarchii" ~birdfreak :) good one!! “Spizella monarchii” ~birdfreak

:) good one!!

]]>