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GrrlScientist is an evolutionary biologist, ornithologist, aviculturist, birder and freelance science and nature writer. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she relocated from Seattle to NYC with her parrots after earning a BS in Microbiology (emphasis in Virology) and PhD in Zoology (Ornithology) from the University of Washington. In NYC, she was the Chapman Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Museum of Natural History for two years, pursuing part of her "dream" research project by reconstructing a molecular phylogeny of the parrots of the South Pacific islands. GrrlScientist and her five parrots are currently relocating to Germany, where she will continue writing her blog while also writing a book and learning German. (Meanwhile, her parrots will continue to nibble on her extensive personal library.) If you appreciate GrrlScientist's writing, you can help pay her living expenses by hiring her to "blog" your conference, speak at your club or write articles for your publication (or by clicking on the Paypal button below). If you read an essay on this blog that you especially enjoyed, please nominate it for inclusion in OpenLab2009.
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Topic Categories: Birding • Mystery Birds • Photography
Posted on: January 27, 2009 9:59 AM, by "GrrlScientist"
tags: mystery bird, identify this bird, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery birds] Caspian Tern, Sterna caspia, photographed the Quintana Beach and Jetty area, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 18 November 2008 [larger view].
Nikon D200 1/1250s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
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PZ Myers 11.08.2009
PZ Myers 11.08.2009
Ed Brayton 11.08.2009
Orac 11.08.2009
Tim Lambert 11.08.2009
Comments
Well, it is obviously a tern.
I'm going to go for Common Tern (Sterna hirundo), citing the black-tipped, orange-red bill, faint black tint to wingtips, gray body with lighter underbelly and the distinctive mask. This bird doesn't have the silver-white primaries or the right mask shape of the Forster's Tern, and lacks the white forehead patch of a Least Tern (and feels too large, although there's no scale here).
Posted by: Erpentes | January 27, 2009 10:54 AM
Caspian?
Posted by: Sven DiMilo | January 27, 2009 10:57 AM
I believe that's a Caspian Tern, based on the "dark red bill with dusky tip" and relatively large amount of "dark under primaries" (Sibley).
Posted by: John Callender | January 27, 2009 10:58 AM
Can't see any bread, so it isn't a sandwich tern.
Posted by: Bob O'H | January 27, 2009 12:46 PM
What a beautiful photo of a Caspian Tern! The very heavy red-orange bill and black cap are a give away. Grrlscientist, could you please contact me directly about publishing one of your articles in a newsletter for Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge? Thanks.
Posted by: Sheila | January 27, 2009 2:48 PM
I'm going with the Caspian, also.
Posted by: Michelle | January 27, 2009 4:33 PM
Beautiful photo of a Caspian Tern- Heavy bill and dark underside of primaries are giveaways.
Posted by: Mac | January 27, 2009 6:22 PM
Based on the dark red with dark tip bill (and thicker, heavier bill) as well as the black cap and dark under the primaries I'd say Caspian Tern.
Posted by: Margie | January 27, 2009 7:57 PM
I'm going with Caspian Tern--big, red tern bill.
Posted by: Paulette | January 27, 2009 10:35 PM
One more vote for Caspian Tern. Dark under the primaries and dark red, dark-tipped bill are good clues to identification. So is the flight posture of the tern -- flying with the bill oriented downward as if it were to heavy for the head to hold in a horizontal position.
Posted by: Sharon Chester | January 28, 2009 2:33 PM