Advanced Quiz #1
Advanced identification
This is an advanced quiz designed for more experienced birders. The birds included here can be easily confused with other species, or are species that are not encountered often. If you do not score well in this quiz, don't be discouraged, but instead try the quizzes at an easier level and work your way up. If this quiz is too easy, new 'No clues' quizzes will be coming soon.
Start
Question 1 |
A | Pyrrhuloxia Hint: Bad guess. Pyrrhuloxia is cardinal-like without this range of colors. |
B | Painted Bunting Hint: Yes. An unmistakable male. |
C | Blue-headed Tanager Hint: Blue-headed tanager would never be seen in the US. It has a lighter blue head and no red in its plumage. |
D | Rainbow Tanager Hint: There is no such bird. |
E | Crimson-throated Tanager Hint: Sorry, but there is no such bird. |
Question 2 |
A | Northern Mockingbird Hint: Northern Mockingbird has white wing patches and lack the white eye-ring of this bird. |
B | Townsend's Solitaire Hint: Very good. A plain gray bird with an obvious eye-ring and buffy wing patches is a Townsend's Solitaire. |
C | Clark's Nutcracker Hint: Clark's Nutcracker has black wings and a much longer bill. |
D | Northern Shrike Hint: Northern Shrike has a back face mask. |
E | Gray Catbird Hint: Gray Catbird is more uniform dark gray and does not have the eye ring or the wing patches of this bird. |
Question 3 |
A | Marbled Godwit Hint: Yes. The long and slightly upturned bill indicates Godwit, and the banded tail and mottled buffy color points to Marbled Godwit. |
B | Hudsonian Godwit Hint: Hudsonian Godwit has a black tail and different overall color pattern that changes depending on the time of year. |
C | Willet Hint: Willet is a fairly non-descript gray bird,with a bill that is long, but shorter and straighter than our quiz subject. |
D | Long-billed Curlew Hint: Although our bird has a long bill, a Long-billed Curlew actually has a longer bill (!!) that is downcurved, not upturned. |
E | Whimbrel Hint: Whimbrel has a strongly downcurved bill |
Question 4 |
A | Prairie Falcon Hint: Prairie Falcon lacks the bright rufous back of this bird. |
B | Peregrine Falcon Hint: Peregrine Falcon has a dark gray back, not the bright rufous of this bird. |
C | Merlin Hint: Merlin has a dull brown or dark gray back, not the bright rufous of this bird. |
D | American Kestrel Hint: Yes. A female American Kestrel, based on the barred tail and the lack of bluish wings seen in males. |
E | Aplomado Falcon Hint: Aplomado Falcon has a dark gray back, not the bright rufous of this bird. |
Question 5 |
A | Marbled Godwit Hint: Marbled Godwit has a buffier color and longer upturned bill. |
B | Whimbrel Hint: Whimbrel has a longer downcurved bill |
C | Willet Hint: Yes. This is an eastern Willet in breeding plumage. The gray legs and long straight bill are indicative of Willet. |
D | Dunlin Hint: The bill is far too long for Dunlin. |
E | American Golden-Plover Hint: The bill is WAY too long for a plover. |
Question 6 |
A | Brown Creeper Hint: Brown creeper is overall a mottled brown bird with a downcurved bill. |
B | Boreal Nuthatch Hint: There is no such bird. Try again. |
C | Brown-headed Nuthatch Hint: Yes. The bright brown head and white patch on back of the nape are indicative. |
D | White-breasted Nuthatch Hint: White-breasted Nuthatch has a black crown and steely gray back and wings. |
E | Pygmy Nuthatch Hint: Very close. |
Question 7 |
A | Red-breasted Nuthatch Hint: Yes. The bold white supercilium, black eye-line, rusty breast, short tail, and distinctive nuthatch bill all point to Red-breasted Nuthatch. |
B | Cinereous Conebill Hint: Conebills have never been seen in the US. |
C | Eastern Bluebird Hint: Bluebird has a bluer back, white belly, and a differently shaped bill. |
D | Black-throated Blue Warbler Hint: The bill is too long for a warbler. |
E | Cerulean Warbler Hint: The bill is too long for a warbler. |
Question 8 |
A | Pied Cowbird Hint: There is no such bird as a Pied Cowbird. |
B | American Raven Hint: A raven would be all-black |
C | Black-billed Magpie Hint: Yes. Unmistakable black and white pattern with long tail and large bill. |
D | Northwestern Crow Hint: A crow would be all-black |
E | Clark's Nutcracker Hint: Try again. Clark's Nutcracker is mostly gray. |
Question 9 |
A | Lazuli Bunting Hint: Although its mostly blue, a Lazuli Bunting has an orange chest, white belly, and white wing bars. |
B | Indigo Bunting Hint: Yes. This bright blue male is typically found around brushy areas or edges of fields. |
C | Eastern Bluebird Hint: Eastern Bluebird has an orange throat and chest. |
D | Field Sparrow Hint: Although our bird looks sparrow-like, a Field Sparrow is mostly brown. |
E | Blue Grosbeak Hint: Blue Grosbeak is darker blue, has a larger bill, and rufous wing bars. |
Question 10 |
A | Black-backed Woodpecker Hint: This bird doesn't have a black back. |
B | American Three-toed Woodpecker Hint: Very good. The unmarked black wings, barred back and yellow crown indicate a male American Three-toed Woodpecker. |
C | Ladder-backed Woodpecker Hint: Ladder-backed Woodpecker has extensively barred back and wings. |
D | Downy Woodpecker Hint: Downy has white spots on the wings and a white back. |
E | Red-cockaded Woodpecker Hint: Red Cockaded Woodpecker has a sizeable white cheek patch that is not seen on this bird. |
Question 11 |
A | House Sparrow Hint: Male House Sparrow has a black throat and lacks the rusty cap seen here.. |
B | Clay-colored Sparrow Hint: Clay-colored Sparrow is overall buffier, with a strong lateral white throat patch and eye line that highlight its ear patch. |
C | American Tree Sparrow Hint: American Tree Sparrow has a rusty crown and a rufous eye stripe, but has a clearly bi-colored bill. |
D | Swamp Sparrow Hint: Swamp Sparrow has a darker gray breast with weak streaks and a mostly dark gray face. |
E | Field Sparrow Hint: Yes. The pink bill, rusty crown and mostly gray face is diagnostic for Field Sparrow. |
Question 12 |
A | Great Blue Heron Hint: Great Blue Heron does not have the white belly of this bird. |
B | American Bittern Hint: American Bittern is mostly brown with a shorter neck. |
C | Little Blue Heron Hint: Little Blue Heron has a uniform blue color as adults. |
D | Tri-colored Heron Hint: Yes. The white belly and front of the neck is diagnostic for a Tri-colored Heron. |
E | Sandhill Crane Hint: No Sandhill Cranes are nearly uniform gray as adults. |
Question 13 |
A | Hooded Warbler Hint: Yes. A moslty yellow warbler with a black hood and masks surrounding a yellow face patch is a Hooded Warbler. |
B | Common Yellowthroat Hint: Common Yellowthroat has a black face mask and less yellow on the body. |
C | Wilson's Warbler Hint: Wilson's Warbler is mostly yellow, but just having a black cap. |
D | Canada Warbler Hint: The upper body of the Canada Warbler is gray. |
E | Kentucky Warbler Hint: Kentucky Warbler does not have a black hood. |
Question 14 |
A | Orchard Oriole Hint: The tail of the female Orchard Oriole is yellow. Orchard Oriole is significantly larger than the bird shown here. |
B | Yellow-headed Blackbird Hint: Try again. |
C | Golden-cheeked Warbler Hint: Golden-cheeked Warbler has a limited range in Texas, has a black throat, cap, and back. |
D | Blue-winged Warbler Hint: Yes. The bluish wings with two prominent wing bars, combined with extensive yellow on the face and belly, points to Blue-winged Warbler. |
E | Yellow-green Vireo Hint: No. Yellow-green Vireo does not have wing bars. |
Question 15 |
A | Black-capped Chickadee Hint: Black-capped Chickadee does not have the white supercillium. |
B | Boreal Chickadee Hint: Boreal Chickadee has a dark brown cap and lighter brown flanks. |
C | Black-throated Gray Warbler Hint: Black-throated Gray Warbler has lateral black stripes on its flanks and a yellow spot in front of its eyes. |
D | Mexican Chickadee Hint: Mexican Chickadee does not have the white supercillium and has dark gray flanks. |
E | Mountain Chickadee Hint: Very good. The white supercillium distinguishes it from other chickadees. |
Question 16 |
A | Lazuli Bunting Hint: Lazuli Bunting has a white belly and orange breast. |
B | Eastern Bluebird Hint: Bluebird has a white belly and extensive orange breast. |
C | Mountain Bluebird Hint: Mountain Bluebird has unmarked wings, lacks the black face mask, and has a much smaller bill than this bird. |
D | Indigo Bunting Hint: Indigo Bunting does not have wing bars and has a smaller bill. |
E | Blue Grosbeak Hint: Yes. the rusty wing bar, overall blue color and thick bill are indicative of Blue Grosbeak. |
Question 17 |
A | Swainson's Thrush Hint: Swainson's Thrush has buffy throat and spectacles. |
B | Gray-cheeked Thrush Hint: Gray-cheeked Thrush has a buffy throat and lacks the distinctive rufous tail of this bird. |
C | Hermit Thrush Hint: Yes. The bill is correct for a thrush, and the rufous tail is indicative of Hermit Thrush. |
D | Ovenbird Hint: The bill is too long for ovenbird. |
E | Veery Hint: Veery has a rufous back and wings, not just the rufous tail, and lacks the clear eye-ring of this bird. |
Question 18 |
A | Double-crested Cormorant Hint: Cormorants have hooked tips to their bills. |
B | Green Heron Hint: Try again. |
C | Pelagic Cormorant Hint: Cormorants have hooked tips to their bills. |
D | Anhingha Hint: Yes. The long neck and needle-like bill are unmistakeable. |
E | Neotropic Cormorant Hint: Cormorants have hooked tips to their bills. |
Question 19 |
A | Chipping Sparrow Hint: Well done. The rufous crown and black eye stripe are indicative. |
B | Song Sparrow Hint: Among other differences, a Song Sparrow would have stripes on its chest. |
C | Rufous-capped Sparrow Hint: There is no such bird as a Rufous-capped sparrow. On the advanced quizzes the possible answers occasionally will be tricky. |
D | American Pipit Hint: Pipits have much pointier bills. |
E | American Tree Sparrow Hint: American Tree Sparrow has a rusty cap, but has a bi-colored bill, mostly gray face, and a rufous eye-line. |
Question 20 |
A | Sora Hint: Sora is not uniform gray like this bird, and has a yellow bill with a black face mask. |
B | Common Gallinule Hint: Yes. Until recently called Common Moorhen. The white line on its flank is one clue that separates it from Purple Gallinule in this view.. |
C | Black Rail Hint: compared to this bird, with a small dark bill. |
D | American Coot Hint: Coot has a white bill, not mostly red. |
E | Purple Gallinule Hint: Purple Gallinule would have a more brilliant purple color on the belly and neck. |
There are 20 questions to complete.
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