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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 • Education • Mystery Birds • Photography • Teaching
Posted on: July 15, 2009 9:59 AM, by "GrrlScientist"
tags: Snowy Owl, Bubo scandiacus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Snowy Owl, Bubo scandiacus, photographed on the Fort Pierre National Grasslands in South Dakota. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Terry Sohl, 4 January 2009 [larger view]
Photo taken with a Canon 50D, 400 5.6L.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
As an added bonus, can you tell me if this bird is a juvenile or adult, male or female?
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Comments
Heh. As the father of two children currently asleep after they went to the midnight showing of HP5, I can say with complete confidence that that is a snowy owl, and that its name is Hedwig. :-)
I'll guess it's an adult female, but I think a first-year male is also a possibility.
Posted by: John Callender | July 15, 2009 12:01 PM
Oops. Make that HP6.
Posted by: John Callender | July 15, 2009 12:04 PM
I think this is probably a juvenile male. I can't see any evidence of "old" primary or secondary feathers in the wing -- they all appear equally unworn. I can't find any info specific to Snowy Owls, but what little I could find for Great Horneds suggests that remiges persist for several years. If that's true for Snowys, then on an older bird we should see two or more generations of flight feathers.
If anyone has more specific info on Snowy's molt patterns, please say so!
Posted by: psweet | July 15, 2009 5:11 PM