THE JOURNAL / Free Bird Identifier

A little deeper.
A little more curious.

Helpful guides, thoughtful observations, and the details worth a second look. Find your next discovery.

Showing 19–36 of 150 guides

THE READING ROOM / 02
Birds by color, shape and setting5 MIN READ

Birds That Look Like Crows: How to Tell Them Apart

Compare blackbirds, grackles, ravens, starlings, and other crow lookalikes by shape, color, habitat, and visible field marks.

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Birds by color, shape and setting5 MIN READ

Birds That Look Like Hummingbirds: How to Tell Them Apart

Learn which birds resemble hummingbirds and compare their size, flight, colors, and habitat to identify what you saw.

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Birds by color, shape and setting5 MIN READ

Birds That Look Like Robins: How to Tell Similar Species Apart

Compare common robin lookalikes by color, shape, range and seasonal plumage, with practical photo clues to help narrow down an identification.

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Birds by color, shape and setting5 MIN READ

Birds That Look Like Sparrows: How to Tell Them Apart

Compare common sparrow lookalikes by shape, plumage, habitat, and the field marks that help narrow down an identification.

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Birds by color, shape and setting6 MIN READ

Birds With Crests: How to Identify Them by Sight

Learn how crest shape, plumage, range, age, and sex can help distinguish familiar crested birds in photographs.

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Birds by color, shape and setting5 MIN READ

Birds With Eye Stripes: How to Identify Them by Their Markings

Learn how eye stripes vary among birds and how to use color, pattern, location, age, and season to narrow an identification.

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Birds by color, shape and setting5 MIN READ

Birds With Forked Tails: How to Identify Them by Shape and Field Marks

Learn how to distinguish fork-tailed birds by silhouette, flight, plumage, habitat, and seasonal variation, with a practical visual comparison of familiar species.

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Birds by color, shape and setting5 MIN READ

Birds With Long Beaks: How to Identify Them by Shape and Habitat

Learn how beak shape, plumage, habitat, and location help distinguish long-billed birds, from shorebirds and herons to hummingbirds and waterfowl.

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Birds by color, shape and setting5 MIN READ

Birds With Long Tails: How to Identify Them by Shape, Color, and Habitat

Learn how tail length, shape, plumage, location, and age help distinguish long-tailed birds in photographs.

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Birds by color, shape and setting5 MIN READ

Birds With Orange Breasts: Field Marks and Common Lookalikes

Learn how to identify birds with orange breasts by comparing color patterns, body shape, range, age, and seasonal plumage.

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Birds by color, shape and setting5 MIN READ

Birds With Red Heads: How to Identify Common Species

Learn how to distinguish birds with red heads by their patterns, size, habitat, geography, and seasonal or age-related differences.

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Birds by color, shape and setting4 MIN READ

Birds With Speckled Breasts: How to Identify Them

Learn how breast spotting, size, habitat, and age help distinguish common birds with speckled breasts.

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Birds by color, shape and setting4 MIN READ

Birds With White Wing Bars: How to Identify Them

Learn how white wing bars help identify birds, and how to distinguish similar species by pattern, size, habitat, age, and season.

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Birds by color, shape and setting5 MIN READ

Birds with Yellow Bellies: How to Identify Them

Learn how to distinguish yellow-bellied birds by their patterns, habitat, size, and seasonal plumage—and when a photo may not be enough.

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Birds by color, shape and setting5 MIN READ

Black and White Birds: How to Identify Them by Their Field Marks

Learn how plumage patterns, habitat, geography, age, and season help distinguish black and white birds in the field.

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Birds by color, shape and setting5 MIN READ

Black Birds With Orange Wings: How to Identify Them

Learn how to distinguish red-winged blackbirds from other dark birds with orange or red-orange patches by their field marks, range, and seasonal appearance.

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Backyard species field guides5 MIN READ

Black-Capped Chickadee Identification: Key Field Marks and Lookalikes

Identify a black-capped chickadee by its black cap and bib, pale cheeks, compact shape, and the details that separate it from similar species.

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Birds by color, shape and setting6 MIN READ

Blue Birds With Black Heads: Field Marks and Common Species

Learn how to identify blue birds with black heads by comparing plumage, size, habitat, geography, and seasonal changes.

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