Intermediate Quiz #3

American Oystercatcher has a bill that is completely orange, with an all-black head and neck and a distinctive orange eye ring.

Yes. The bill of the Black Skimmer, with the much longer lower mandible, is unforgettable and distinctive.

Caspian Tern does not have black wings, and its bill is shorter and all red.

Black Turnstone is a very different shorebird, with very little white on its head, and having a short all-black bill.

Black Oystercatcher is all black with a completely orange bill and a distinctive orange eye ring.

Yes. Adult Common Loon in breeding plumage has an all-black head and bill with a checkered back

Common Goldeneye has a distinctive round white cheek patch, and its body is mostly white.

Pacific Loon has a gray head and a much smaller bill for a loon.

Black Scoter is all black, with a bulbous yellow knob on its bill.

Male Common Eiders are mostly white on the head, breast, and back, unlike this bird. Try again.

Yellow Warbler does not have blue-gray wings.

Yellow-breasted Chat has extensive yellow on the breast, but is dirty olive on the head and back.

Yes. The extensive yellow head and undersides points to Prothonotary Warbler.

Yellow-throated Warbler has black streaks on its flanks and black facial pattern.

Yellow-throated Vireo has a stubbier bill and is not as radiantly yellow as this bird.

Ovenbird has brown upperparts and a rufous crown patch.

Cerulean Warbler has blue upperparts and crown.

Excellent. The black cap and streaked flanks, combined with bright yellow legs are typical for adult male Blackpoll Warbler.

Black-and-white Warbler does not have a uniform black cap and is more heavily streaked on its undersides.

Black-throated Gray Warbler has a black throat, not the white throat of this bird.

Yes. A breeding plumage adult Eared Grebe has the wispy yellow ear tufts and bright red eye on a jet black head with a crest.

Male Bufflehead has a mostly white body and a distinctive large white patch on the upper rear quadrant of its head.

Black Scoter has a bulbous yellow knob on a typical duck-shaped bill.

Least Grebe is mostly gray, with a bright yellow eye.

Horned Grebe has a fuller, more solid golden tuft compared to the thin tuft seen here.

Veery has the orangey uppersides, but that color extends to the face, and it doesn't have the dark spots of this bird.

Brown Thrasher has a much longer bill and long tail

Hermit Thrush has a duller back with a contrasting rufous tail.

Excellent. This was a tough question with several potentially confusing species. The bright orange upperparts and bold spotting point to Wood Thrush.

American Robin does not have spots on the belly.

Yes. The gray body, red neck, and especially the bi-colored bill with the pink base are characteristics of adult Reddish Egret.

Although young Tricolored Herons have a bluish-gray body and rufous neck, it would never have a bill with a pink base like this bird has.

Great Egret is all white.

Great Blue Heron never has a red neck and lacks the bi-colored bill.

Little Blue Heron is all blue as adults, all white as juveniles.

Arctic Tern has a red bill and red legs.

Sandwich Tern has black legs and a black bill with a yellow tip.

Yes. A delicate little tern with a distinctive sleek yellow biil and yellow legs

Adult Forster's Tern has an orangey-red bill with a black tip.

Adult Forster's Tern has an orange bill with a black tip.

Well done. Canada Warbler is easily identified by the black necklace and the bold eye ring.

Yellow Warbler is yellow both on its upperparts and lowerparts.

Magnolia Warbler also has a 'necklace' on a background of yellow undersides, but its necklace is bolder and streaks along its flanks. Magnolia also has a black eye mask.

Yellow-throated Warbler has a white belly, with black streaks on its flanks, and lacks the 'necklace' of this bird.

Nashville Warbler has a bold eye ring and is yellow below, but does not have the black necklace of this bird.

Greater Yellowlegs is bulkier, with a slightly longer bill.

Whimbrel has a longer and downcurved bill.

Yes. The long bright yellow legs, sleek body and needle-like bill are indicative of Lesser Yellowlegs.

Solitary Sandpiper has a darker appearance due to smaller spots on its dark wings, and has legs that are not bright yellow.

Marbled Godwit has a slightly upturned bill and dark legs.

Female American Redstart also has a gray head and some yellow on its flanks, but has a smaller bill and doesn't have the obvious eye ring.

Excellent! The bold white eye ring is our first big clue, followed by the dark bluish-gray head and yellowish-green flanks.

Philadelphia Vireo has a yellow throat and no wing bars, and lacks the eye ring of this bird.

Nashville Warbler has a strong eye ring, but has a smaller bill and completely yellow undersides.

Virginia's Warbler also has an eye ring and is mostly gray, but has a pointier bill, and yellow on its breast, not on its flanks.

American White Pelican has a large yellow bill and yellow feet.

Northern Fulmar has a completely white head, with a completely different bill.

Blue-footed Booby has brighter blue feet and is not all-white like this bird.

Masked Booby has a yellow bill and lacks the yellowish wash on its head.

Well done! Northern Gannet is nearly all-white with the yellowish wash on the head and the silvery blue bill.

Song Sparrow typically has brown streaks.

Well done! Fox sparrow has several color variations, with this red variant being most common in the eastern US. The handsome combination of reddish streaks and extensive gray patches on the face is distinctive.

Hermit Thrush is dull brown above, has black spots on its breast, and has a longer bill.

Field Sparrow does not have any streaks.

Wood Thrush has bold black spots on its undersides and a bold eye ring, and and is orange on its upperparts without any gray.

Among other differences, Common Mergansers do not have any black on the head, have a dark eye, and bright orange bill.

Ring-necked Duck has a gray bill that is less elongated, with a gray body in adult males.

Yes. The black crest with the large white patch combined with the obvious yellow eye point to an adult male Hooded Merganser.

Male Wood Ducks are elaborately multi-colored, with a bright orange bill in males.

Don't let the color of the eye on this bird fool you. Among other differences, Common Goldeneye has a less elongated, conical bill.

Well done. The yellowish-green patch on its gray back, yellow throat, and light gray belly point to Northern Parula.

Virginia's Warbler has yellow on its breast, not on its neck and lacks any wing bars.

Blue-winged Warbler has all-yellow undersides and head, with a black eye line.

Yellow-throated Warbler also has a yellow throat and white belly like this bird, but has a black facial pattern and black streaks along its flanks.

Yellow-throated Vireo has a longer, stubbier bill and a bight yellow head, neck, and breast with a yellow eye ring.