Bird Information
In-depth discussions of identification of North American birds
click on any links below to find more info on that topic or species
Reference and nomenclature
A list of important online bird references
Changes to official bird names in 2010
Changes to official bird names from 2000 to 2009
The Subspecies concept in the Sibley Guide to Birds
Bird Subspecies names in the Sibley Guide to Birds
Birding Basics and introductory topics
On the psychology of bird identification:
Ambiguity and bird identification
Redpoll investigation widens to include “Greater” – another manifestation of subjective impressions of ambiguous features
Probability in bird identification
On bird songs:
More vocal copying by American Goldfinch, Purple Finch, and Ovenbird
On finding rare birds:
How many rare birds do we miss?
How many rare birds did we miss before the internet?
Odds and ends:
Audubon’s mysteries: Carbonated Swamp-Warbler
List of Species
- Field Identifiable Subspecies of birds – an annotated list
- French Bird Names
- Bird References
- Townsend's Shearwater
- Leach's Storm-Petrel
- Great Blue Heron
- Little Egret
- American Flamingo
- Trumpeter Swan
- Canada Goose
- Cackling Goose
- Greater White-fronted Goose
- Barrow’s Goldeneye
- Red-footed Falcon
- Ruffed Grouse
- Wild Turkey
- Sungrebe
- Spoon-billed Sandpiper
- South Polar Skua
- Ring-billed Gull
- Sandwich Tern
- White-winged Tern
- Green-breasted Mango
- Vaux's Swift
- Ivory-billed Woodpecker
- Olive-sided Flycatcher
- Eastern Wood-Pewee
- White-crested Elaenia
- Cliff Swallow
- Cave Swallow
- Island Scrub Jay
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Chestnut-backed Chickadee
- Bicknell's Thrush
- American Robin
- Curve-billed Thrasher
- Bendire's Thrasher
- Tropical Parula
- Savannah Sparrow
- White-throated Sparrow
- White-crowned Sparrow
- Baltimore Oriole
- Purple Finch
- Pine Siskin
- Redpolls – main page
- House Sparrow
you used to have a great list of subspecies and their scientific names which correlated to the regional designations you gave them in the book. Why did you take it down? I can’t find it on the site anymore.
Hi Travis, When I revamped the site a month or so ago I took down the subspecies list, planning to update a few things and repost. Hopefully I can get that done and back up in the next few days.
Perhaps this question has been asked before. I’m curious why Pink-footed Goose is not included in the Sibley Guide? Perhaps a thought-to-be-wild bird had not occurred in North America as of 2000.
Pink-footed Goose was not included in the Sibley Guide because at the time that I was working on the book (1990s) it was too rare and didn’t meet the threshold for inclusion. It is one of a few species that increased in frequency even as I was working on the guide, and would certainly be included now. Hopefully I can get around to doing a revised edition someday and I would definitely include it in that. Other species are Cahow, Green-breasted Mango, and a few others.
There was a possible Pink-footed Goose spotted here in eastern Kansas a couple days ago, those of us that saw it are thinking a juvenile but there is very little reference material that I can find showing this bird as a juvenile. Do you have a plate worked up that you could share with us?
Hi Brandon, All geese can be aged at least until mid-winter by feather shapes. The differences I described for Canada Geese in a post here http://www.sibleyguides.com/2009/10/ageing-canada-geese/ should work just as well for Pink-footed and other species. By December most young geese have molted some of the upper flanks, so you’ll also see a contrast between broader, darker, more contrasting feathers there alongside the paler/faded, more rounded juvenile feathers on the belly. All that said, I see from one posted photo that the Kansas bird looks more like an immature dark morph Snow Goose – an understandable mistake. Pink-footed should have a dark brown head and neck, warm brown on the breast, etc.
David
I wanted to thank you for all the hard work I know you put into your books and field guides on birds. I recently acquired two of your books and they are the best I have ever seen. It is so helpful to see birds especailly the birds of prey in their different phases and flight patterns.
Billy
Your beautiful guides and descriptions are very welcome additions to the world of birds. Being able to understand the birds in your back yard, your camp site, or on your nature walk, is the key to having a great appreciation of life. Birds bring so much to help people stay connected to the earth!
Did the record of the Green Violet-ear Hummingbird make the range maps in your new book? We had the honor of hosting this wonderful bird at our feeders in our yard. This was in 2003 for 55 days. We turned it in and had the WVDNR and record people out to see the bird. Paul Lehman also came and viewed the bird. We had over 300 people come for the bird. Live in a gated area or we would have opened it up to more people. Of all those people only one birder was a sour birder. He lives in Kingwood WV of all places.All the other birds and clubs were very nice to meet. We even got some neat gifts bird feeder, books, bags sugar,candy. I have lots pictures and hours of video. We enjoyed talking wiht some really special people about birds. Even had two federal bird bander here one day. They were unable to catch him. We keep our eyes out each year for one to return. Thank you
Hi Kim, Thanks for your note. The maps in the books were last revised in 2002 (by Paul Lehman) so your Green Violetear did not make it in time. I’ll add it to the next revision.
I ask you to consider my interpretation of a novel observation (NECO extended gular sac coloration) that I have posted on my website:
http://www.richbyoung.com/text-gular-id.html
When I posted these images, numerous birders emailed me saying they had never seen nor heard anything in the literature regarding the NECO pink coloration and its ramifications.
I discovered NECOs in Northern Utah for the first time in April 2009, http://www.utahbirds.org/RecCom/2010/2010_21Summary.htm , and twice again in 2010, http://www.utahbirds.org/RecCom/2010/2010_23Summary.htm ,
http://www.utahbirds.org/RecCom/2010/2010_20Summary.htm
I found a stable population of 7 NECOs in the Salt Lake Valley at a permanent site that I studied over a 4 month period (May 2 through Oct. 18, 2010).
Being retired, I spent over 200 hours studying these birds, with my main emphasis being photo-documentation.
Among other things, I was struck by the unique ‘social signaling’ done by the NECOs available to me; specifically when I observed the pink coloration of their gular sacs when extended.
Early on I noted there were major differences between NECO/DCCO extended gular sacs.
Taking this a bit further, I saw the possibility that, using examples of birds’ (NECO/DCCO) gular sac coloration and morphology, I might have stumbled on a feature that could help clarify the I.D. issue among DCCO/NECO juveniles.
I also believe that, the unique NECO extended gular sac coloration and morphology have been overlooked in the literature thus far.
Any consideration of the above would be sincerely appreciated.
Regards
Richard B. Young
richbyoung.com
Hi Richard. Thanks very much for posting all this. I was not aware of any color difference but it looks like you have documented it pretty thoroughly.
I was hoping to find someoe to help me identify a bird we had show up on our deck this morning, I took a picture and was hoping I coupld post it in here in hopes of someone telliing me what typee of bird it is. Is there a place in here to post pictures?
If you click the “contact” link above you can attach a photo there and I will be happy to take a look and identify the bird