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grrlscientist | June 12, 2010tags: Horned Screamer, Anhima cornuta, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Horned Screamer, Anhima cornuta, photographed in Brazil along the Rio Negro, 3 degrees, 5 min S and 60 degrees, 26 minutes W. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dave Rintoul, 2010 [larger view].
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Today's Mystery Bird is the only species in its genus and, along with two other species in a "sister" genus, is placed into a peculiar taxonomic family. Can you tell me what family these birds are placed into and tell…
grrlscientist | June 11, 2010tags: birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] feet [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: [larger view].
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
I have some questions about each foot depicted above. Can you tell me;
what each foot is used for?
for each foot type, can you tell me if its possessor walks or hops when on land?
one foot type is found only in one genus worldwide, can you tell me which foot that is and the species that has that foot? This foot has a special character that it shares with another (much larger) taxonomic…
grrlscientist | June 10, 2010tags: Red Knot, Calidris canutus, Tringa canutus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Red Knot, Calidris (Tringa) canutus photographed at Bolivar Peninsula, Galveston County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 26 April 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/1000s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
There is something very sad about this beautiful migratory species, can you tell me what that is?
The red knot stopover on the Delaware…
grrlscientist | June 9, 2010tags: Brandt's Cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Brandt's Cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus, photographed in Monterey, California. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 5 May 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/1250s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Its specific name, penicillatus is Latin for a painter's brush ("pencil of hairs"), in reference to white plumes on its neck and back during…
grrlscientist | June 8, 2010tags: Pigeon Guillemot, Cepphus columba, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Pigeon Guillemot, Cepphus columba, photographed in Monterey, California. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 5 May 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/640s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
This bird of the north Pacific Ocean has very distinctive feet, but is very similar to a close relative: can you identify both species and tell me how to distinguish…
grrlscientist | June 7, 2010tags: Short-tailed Albatross, Steller's Albatross, Phoebastria albatrus, Diomedea albatrus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Short-tailed Albatross, also known as Steller's Albatross, Phoebastria (Diomedea) albatrus photographed on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge -- one of the most remote coral atolls on earth -- a US territory in the north Pacific Ocean [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joe Fuhrman. I encourage you to purchase images from this professional photographer.
NOTE: Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification…
grrlscientist | June 6, 2010tags: Dickinson's Kestrel, White-rumped Kestrel, Falco dickinsoni, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery birds] A pair of Dickinson's Kestrels, also known as White-rumped Kestrels, Falco dickinsoni, photographed in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dan Logen, 8 January 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D300s, 600 mm VR lens with 1.4 x extender ISO 800, f/7.1, 1/400 sec.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
White-rumped Kestrel's closest relatives are the Grey Kestrel and Banded Kestrel, and the…
grrlscientist | June 5, 2010tags: Slate-Colored Boubou, Boubou Shrike, Laniarius funebris, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Slate-Colored Boubou, also known as the Boubou Shrike, Laniarius funebris, photographed in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dan Logen, 19 January 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D300, 200-400 VR lens at 400 mm ISO 640, f/4.5. 1/320 sec.
This lovely bird is a member of a taxonomic family that does not occur in North America -- can you identify it anyway?
Please name at least one field mark that supports your…
grrlscientist | June 4, 2010tags: Laughing Gull, Larus atricilla, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Laughing Gull, Larus atricilla, photographed at East Grand Terre Island, Louisiana.
Image: Charlie Riedel, 3 June 2010 [larger view].
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Here's what this bird would look like without its lovely coating of oil:
Laughing Gull, Larus atricilla, photographed at Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary, Texas.
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 7 April 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/1250s f/8.0 at 1000.…
grrlscientist | June 3, 2010tags: Green Jay, Cyanocorax yncas, Cyanocorax luxuosus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Green Jay, Cyanocorax (yncas) luxuosus, photographed at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Harlingen, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 30 March 2008 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/1000s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Because most mystery birders are on vacation right now, I am sharing another knock-your-socks-off-gorgeous…
grrlscientist | June 2, 2010tags: Indigo Bunting, Passerina cyanea, Guiraca cyanea, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Adult male Indigo Bunting, Passerina (Guiraca) cyanea, photographed at Quintana Neotropical Bird Sanctuary, Brazoria County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 14 April 2007 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/180s f/8.0 at 500.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Can you tell me how this bird's grows such spectacularly colored plumage?
Blue plumage in…
grrlscientist | June 1, 2010tags: Black-bellied Plover, Grey Plover, Pluvialis squatarola, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Black-bellied Plover, also known as the Grey Plover throughout much of Europe, Pluvialis squatarola, photographed at Bolivar Peninsula, Galveston County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 14 April 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/400s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
This mystery bird might be a little tricky to ID, but once…
grrlscientist | May 31, 2010tags: Clapper Rail, Rallus longirostris, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Clapper Rail, Rallus longirostris, photographed at Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 26 May 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/640s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
How to distinguish Clapper Rails from other, similar species:
King Rail is slightly larger than Clapper Rail, prefers freshwater marshes while…
grrlscientist | May 30, 2010tags: Eurasian Kestrel, Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Common Kestrel, also known as the Eurasian Kestrel or just as the Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus, photographed in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dan Logen, 19 January 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D300, 600 mm VR lens, with 1.4 x extender ISO 400, f/6.3, 1/800 sec.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Even though this bird is an African species that most of you have probably not…
grrlscientist | May 29, 2010tags: Collared Pratincole, Common Pratincole, Glareola pratincola, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Collared Pratincole, also known as the Common Pratincole, Glareola pratincola, photographed in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania, Africa. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dan Logen, January 2010 [larger view].
Nikon D300s, 600 mm VR lens, with 1.4 x extender ISO 400, f/8, 1/400 sec.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
This African species' morphology and feeding behavior are seemingly incongruous (although wing…
grrlscientist | May 28, 2010tags: Kurjenpolvi, flowers, travel, gardening, Helsingin yliopisto, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, image of the day, photography
Kurjenpolvi.
A red-and-white geranium photographed at Helsingin yliopisto (University of Helsinki) in Helsinki, Finland.
Image: GrrlScientist, 18 May 2010 [larger view]
Canon SX100 IS.
grrlscientist | May 28, 2010tags: Barnacle Goose, Branta leucopsis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Barnacle Goose, Branta leucopsis, photographed at Luonnontieteellinen keskusmuseo (University of Helsinki Museum of Natural History), Helsinki, Finland. [picture of the same species with its muscle and feathers]
Image: GrrlScientist, 18 May 2010 [larger view]
Canon SX100 IS.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
EEEK! It's another completely bare-nekkid bird for you to identify! Can you ID this bird species? (Yes, it's going to be very challenging to ID species, but…
grrlscientist | May 27, 2010tags: travel, culture, Suomenlinna, Helsinki, Finland, cities, photography
Helsinki Mereltä Nähtynä.
Photographed from the ferry as it returned to Helsinki from Suomenlinna in Finland.
Image: GrrlScientist, 20 May 2010 [larger view]
Canon SX100 IS.
grrlscientist | May 27, 2010tags: Puna-keltaisia kukkia, flowers, travel, gardening, Helsingin yliopisto, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland, image of the day, photography
Puna-keltaisia kukkia.
A red-and-yellow Evening Primrose, Oenothera macrocarpa, photographed at Helsingin yliopisto (University of Helsinki) in Helsinki, Finland.
Image: GrrlScientist, 18 May 2010 [larger view]
Canon SX100 IS.
grrlscientist | May 27, 2010tags: Heermann's Gull, Larus heermanni, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Immature (1st winter/second summer?) Heermann's Gull, Larus heermanni, photographed somewhere along the Pacific coast of the United States [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joe Fuhrman. I encourage you to purchase images from this professional photographer.
NOTE: Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
This species has a special natural history character that makes them especially vulnerable to extinction. Can you tell me what that is?
Heermann's…