THE JOURNAL / Free Bird Identifier
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Showing 37–54 of 150 guides
THE READING ROOM / 03Blue Jay Identification: Key Field Marks, Age, Sex, and Range
Identify blue jays by their crest, blue-and-white plumage, black necklace, and distinctive markings, while accounting for age, sex, geography, and seasonal appearance.
Read the guideBrown Thrasher Identification: Key Field Marks and Similar Species
Learn to identify a Brown Thrasher by its long tail, streaked underparts, rusty back, and other visual field marks.
Read the guideBrown-Headed Cowbird Identification: Key Visual Field Marks
Learn to identify brown-headed cowbirds by plumage, size, sex, age, range, and seasonal appearance, and distinguish them from similar backyard birds.
Read the guideBrown-Headed Cowbird vs. Grackle: How to Tell Them Apart
Compare brown-headed cowbirds and grackles by size, shape, plumage, sex, age, and range to identify each bird from a photo.
Read the guideCanada Goose Identification: Field Marks, Size, and Similar Species
Learn how to identify Canada Geese by their black head, white cheek patch, body shape, calls, habitat, and differences from similar geese.
Read the guideCarolina Chickadee Identification: Key Field Marks and Look-Alikes
Learn to identify Carolina Chickadees by plumage, range, size, and key differences from Black-capped Chickadees and other look-alikes.
Read the guideCarolina Chickadee vs. Black-Capped Chickadee: How to Tell Them Apart
Compare Carolina and Black-capped Chickadees by plumage, range, age, and seasonal variation, and learn when a photo does not provide enough evidence for a confident identification.
Read the guideCarolina Wren Identification: Key Field Marks and Lookalikes
Identify a Carolina wren by its warm coloring, bold eyebrow, long bill, and distinctive shape, while accounting for geography and natural variation.
Read the guideCarolina Wren vs. House Wren: How to Tell Them Apart
Compare Carolina and House Wrens by size, plumage, facial markings, range, and seasonal appearance, with tips for identifying uncertain photos.
Read the guideCedar Waxwing Identification: Key Field Marks and Variations
Identify a cedar waxwing by its silky plumage, black mask, yellow-tipped tail, and red wing markings, with notes on age, sex, range, and seasonal appearance.
Read the guideCedar Waxwing vs. Bohemian Waxwing: How to Tell Them Apart
Compare Cedar and Bohemian Waxwings by face, wings, undertail, range, age, and season to identify them more confidently from photos.
Read the guideChimney Swift Identification: Field Marks, Range, and Seasonal Clues
Learn to identify chimney swifts by their silhouette, flight, plumage, range, and seasonal behavior, and distinguish them from similar birds.
Read the guideChimney Swift vs. Swallow: How to Tell Them Apart
Compare chimney swifts and swallows by silhouette, flight, plumage, habitat, and the field marks that help identify them from a photo.
Read the guideCommon Backyard Birds: How to Identify Familiar Visitors
Learn to identify common backyard birds by plumage, shape, size, and setting, while accounting for regional, seasonal, age, and sex differences.
Read the guideCommon Garden Birds in the UK: A Visual Identification Guide
Learn to identify common UK garden birds by plumage, shape and behaviour, while accounting for age, sex, season and regional variation.
Read the guideCommon Grackle Identification: Key Field Marks, Range, and Seasonal Changes
Learn how to identify a common grackle by its shape, glossy plumage, pale eye, and long tail, and distinguish age, sex, and seasonal variation.
Read the guideCommon Grackle vs. Red-Winged Blackbird: How to Tell Them Apart
Compare size, plumage, shape, and seasonal variation to identify a Common Grackle or Red-winged Blackbird from a photo.
Read the guideCommon Kingfisher Identification: Key Field Marks and Variations
Identify a common kingfisher by its compact shape, vivid plumage, bill, and location, while accounting for age, sex, and regional variation.
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