Quiz 29: Comparing bird weights

Today’s quiz revisits the challenge of comparing bird weights. In the field we get a sense of the “bulk” of a bird, and that is a very important part of judging overall size. Learning the actual weight can be a great help in making those comparisons.

For example, Hutton’s Vireo and Ruby-crowned Kinglet look very similar, and are about the same length, but the vireo weighs almost twice as much!

If you are aware of this you might notice it in the way the bird moves, the way a twig shakes as the bird hops on and off, and other clues that will allow an instant identification.

Test yourself and learn from the questions below.