Intermediate Quiz #1
Intermediate Quiz #1
This quiz is designed for intermediate birders. The birds presented here are slightly more challenging than those in the beginner quizzes, either because they are less abundant (and therefore not seen as often), or because aspects of their identification simply make them more challenging. As with our other quizzes, re-take it again afterwards and see if your score improves.
Start
Question 1 |
A | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Hint: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has a large white wing patch and barred back. |
B | Pileated Woodpecker Hint: Pileated Woodpecker has a black belly and large triangular head with a red crest. |
C | Downy Woodpecker Hint: Close. The bill is too large for a Downy Woodpecker. |
D | American Three-toed Woodpecker Hint: Three-Toed Woodpecker lacks the white spots on the wings, has less white on the face, and has a shorter bill. |
E | Hairy Woodpecker Hint: Excellent! Its very similar to a Downy Woodpecker, but slightly larger, with larger bill. The red patch indicates this is a male. |
Question 2 |
A | Common Grackle Hint: Tray again. Grackle is not all-black, but has a bronzy iridescence on the body. |
B | Clark's Nutcracker Hint: The Clark's Nutcracker is gray-bodied with black wings and a long thin bill. |
C | Black-billed Magpie Hint: A Magpie would have a white belly. |
D | American Crow Hint: This bird is similar to American Crow, but the much larger bill is too big for a crow. |
E | Common Raven Hint: Excellent! The very large bill and rougher mane distinguish Ravens from Crows. |
Question 3 |
A | Great Egret Hint: Great Egret is all-white, with a longer, narrower bill, and very long thin neck. |
B | Cattle Egret Hint: Well done. The stocky bill and light orange patches are typical for breeding Cattle Egret. |
C | Yellow-crowned Night-heron Hint: Yellow-crowned Night-heron is mostly gray (as adult) or brown (as juvenile) with a black bill. |
D | Greater Yellowlegs Hint: Although this bird does have yellow legs, the Greater Yellowlegs is a mostly brown shorebird with a long thin bill. |
E | Snowy Egret Hint: Snowy Egret is all white with a longer, narrower bill. |
Question 4 |
A | Long-billed Curlew Hint: Long-billed Curlew has a longer (!!) downcurved bill. |
B | Long-billed Dowitcher Hint: Long-billed Dowitchers are stockier, with shorter, dark bills. |
C | Whimbrel Hint: Whimbrel has a noticeably downcurved bill. |
D | Willet Hint: Willet is grayer with a shorter straight bill. |
E | Marbled Godwit Hint: Excellent. The long slightly upcurved bill with pink base and buffy color point to Marbled Godwit. |
Question 5 |
A | American Redstart Hint: Well done! Extensive black and orange = male American Redstart. |
B | Blackburnian Warbler Hint: The body of a Blackburnian has much less black, and has an orange throat in males. |
C | Black-and-white Warbler Hint: Black-and-white Warbler has extensive zebra-like black and white stripes. |
D | Blackpoll Warbler Hint: Blackpoll Warbler is actually mostly white with black stripes on the flanks. |
E | Barn Swallow Hint: Try again. The bill is wrong for a swallow. |
Question 6 |
A | Common Gallinule Hint: The bill of a Common Gallinule is red with a yellow tip. |
B | Pied-billed Grebe Hint: Yes. The think bill with the black band is typical for Pied-billed Grebe. |
C | Least Grebe Hint: Least Grebe has a short thin bill and yellow eye. |
D | American Coot Hint: American Coot has a black head, red eye, and a bill that is less conical without the black band. |
E | Black Scoter Hint: The bill of a Black Scoter is shaped differently, with a distinctive large yellow knob. |
Question 7 |
A | American Tree Sparrow Hint: American Tree Sparrow has a gray face but has a rufous eye-stripe (not black). |
B | Clay-colored Sparrow Hint: Clay-colored Sparrow does not have the rusty crown of this bird. |
C | Chipping Sparrow Hint: Yes. The combination of rusty cap and black eye-stripe are diagnostic. |
D | House Sparrow Hint: House Sparrow does not have the rufous crown of this bird. |
E | Swamp Sparrow Hint: Swamp Sparrow has rufous wings with no wing bars, and a gray face |
Question 8 |
A | Gray Catbird Hint: Yes. The mostly gray body with black cap and rufous undertail coverts all are typical for Gray Catbird. |
B | Northern Wheatear Hint: NO. Bad guess. Northern Wheatear is very different from this bird. |
C | Northern Mockingbird Hint: Northern Mockingbird has a pale belly and white wing bars. |
D | Gray-cheeked Thrush Hint: Gray-cheeked Thrush is mostly brown, not mostly gray. |
E | Gray Jay Hint: Gray Jay has a much shorter bill and lacks the black cap of this bird. |
Question 9 |
A | Swainson's Thrush Hint: Swainson's Thrush is also plain-winged, but is browner, without the eye stripe, and has spots on the chest. |
B | Eastern Wood-Pewee Hint: Eastern Wood-Pewee has wing bars and no eye stripe. |
C | Worm-eating Warbler Hint: Worm-eating Warbler has a pointier bill and a buffy eye-line compared to this bird. |
D | Red-eyed Vireo Hint: Excellent! The Red-eyed Vireo is abundant, sings often even during the middle of the day, but can be very difficult to find in woodlands. |
E | Northern Waterthrush Hint: Northern Waterthrush also has a white eye stripe and drab wings, but has a prominently striped breast. |
Question 10 |
A | Common Goldeneye. Hint: Male Common Goldeneye has a dark head with a smaller white patch below the eye. |
B | White-winged Scoter Hint: White-winged Scoter has very little white visible when floating like this. |
C | Long-tailed Duck Hint: Long-tailed Duck has an nearly all-white head and neck with a black cheek patch. |
D | Bufflehead Hint: Yes. Unmistakeable male Bufflehead, with white body and huge white head patch. |
E | Ruddy Duck Hint: Th white patch on a Ruddy Duck is on its cheek, not the back of its head, and Ruddys do not have a white body. |
Question 11 |
A | Brant Hint: Well done. The black head, neck, and breast with the white necklace are indicative of Brant. |
B | Canada Goose Hint: Canada Goose has a white cheek patch, lacks the black breast, and has a larger bill than these birds. |
C | Barnacle Goose Hint: Barnacle Goose has a mostly white face. |
D | Ring-necked Duck Hint: Ring-necked Duck has a different bill shape, black back, and gray flanks. |
E | Cackling Goose Hint: Cackling Goose has a white cheek patch, and lacks the black breast of these birds. |
Question 12 |
A | Bobolink Hint: No. Not even close. |
B | White-throated Sparrow Hint: Yes. A well-marked bright adult White-throated Sparrow with white throat and eye-stripe and yellow lores. |
C | House Sparrow Hint: House Sparrow does not have any white facial markings. |
D | Dickcissel Hint: Dickcissel has a longer bill and lacks the bright white eye stripe of this bird. |
E | White-crowned Sparrow Hint: White-crowned Sparrow does not have the yellow lores or the white throat patch. |
Question 13 |
A | American Pipit Hint: No. Not even close. |
B | Brown Thrasher Hint: Brown Thrasher has a longer unbarred tail and heavily streaked underparts. |
C | House Wren Hint: House Wren does not have the white throat or eye stripe of this bird. |
D | Ovenbird Hint: Ovenbird has streaked underparts and lacks the white eye stripe of this bird. |
E | Carolina Wren Hint: Yes. The bill shape and short perky tail held somewhat upright indicate wren, and the white eye stripe points toward Carolina. |
Question 14 |
A | Black-capped Vireo Hint: No. Not even close. |
B | Blackpoll Warbler Hint: Blackpoll Warbler has less distinct stripes and lacks the white eye stripe of this bird. |
C | Mountain Chickadee Hint: Chickadees have shorter bills and do not have striped bodies. |
D | Black-and-white Warbler Hint: Yes. A male Black-and-white Warbler with its clear extensive striped pattern. |
E | Black-throated Gray Warbler Hint: Black-throated Gray Warbler has a gray upper body and a yellow spot in front of the eye. |
Question 15 |
A | Cedar Waxwing Hint: Yes. The black mask and yellow tips of the tail feathers are indicative of Cedar Waxwings, often sen together in flocks. |
B | American Pipit Hint: Pipits are less colorful, with striped chests. |
C | Common Myna Hint: Common Myna is dark brown with a bright yellow bill, and is very uncommon in the US. |
D | Swainson's Thrush Hint: No.Among other differences, Swainson's Thrush does not have the face mask of this bird. |
E | Northern Cardinal Hint: A cardinal has a black face mask and crest, but is mostly red. |
Question 16 |
A | American Wigeon Hint: No. Wigeons are mostly light brown. |
B | American Black Duck Hint: American Black Duck is dark brown. |
C | Common Gallinule Hint: Close. Common Gallinule is also mostly gray, but with a nearly all-red bill on adults. |
D | Gadwall Hint: Adult Gadwalls are also mostly gray, but with a black bill and gray head. |
E | American Coot Hint: Excellent. The red patch on top of the bill, the ring on the bill,and the black head all are indicative of an adult Coot. |
Question 17 |
A | Golden-crowned Kinglet Hint: Golden-crowned Kinglet has black facial markings and a tiny bill. |
B | Pine Warbler Hint: Pine Warbler has white wing bars, yellow throat, and a dark eye. |
C | Golden-winged Warbler Hint: Although this bird has some gold on its wings, Golden-winged Warbler has black facial markings. |
D | White-eyed Vireo Hint: Excellent! The white iris, yellow spectacles and white throat all point to adult White-eyed Vireo. |
E | Yellow-throated Vireo Hint: Yellow-throated Vireo has a yellow throat (surprise!), white wing bars, and a dark eye, all unlike this bird. |
Question 18 |
A | Scarlet Tanager Hint: Excellent. A mostly scarlet bird with black wings and tail = Scarlet Tanager, surprisingly difficult to find despite its mostly bright colors. |
B | Vermillion Flycatcher Hint: Vermillion Flycatcher has a black back and narrower bill. |
C | American Redstart Hint: Despite their name, male Redstarts are mostly black. |
D | Northern Cardinal Hint: Cardinal has all-red wings, a black facial mask, and a red bill. |
E | Summer Tanager Hint: Summer Tanager male is all red, even on its wings and tail. |
Question 19 |
A | Clark's Nutcracker Hint: Clark's Nutcracker is a sleek pale gray bird with a large bill. |
B | Gray Jay Hint: Gray Jay has a dark bill. |
C | Black-throated Gray Warbler Hint: The bill is wrong for a warbler. |
D | Dark-eyed Junco Hint: Yes. A slaty gray body and pink bill indicates Dark-eyed Junco. |
E | Tufted Titmouse Hint: Tufted Titmouse has orange flank patches and a black bill. |
Question 20 |
A | Great Egret Hint: Great Egret has black feet and yellow bill; this bird has yellow feet and black bill. |
B | White Ibis Hint: Adult White Ibis has a long red downcurved bill and red legs. |
C | Snowy Egret Hint: Yes. The 'yellow slippers' and black bill are key identification clues, differentiating Snowy from Great Egret. |
D | Wood Stork Hint: Although Wood Stork is mostly white, the bill and head of this bird are all wrong for Wood Stork. |
E | Cattle Egret Hint: Cattle Egret has a stubbier bill that is yellow in adults. |
There are 20 questions to complete.
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