The eBirdr field guide

Bird Advisor

Describe what you saw. We’ll narrow the field together.

Question 9 10 possible birds

What type of environment was the bird seen in?

Choose the answer that comes closest to what you observed.

Urban or residential area or at a feeder Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra Desert, arid grassland, shrubs, cactus, mesquite Thickets or shrubs Deciduous forest Coniferous forest Mixed forest Mountainous Terrain Wooded freshwater habitat Freshwater marsh or wetland Freshwater shoreline Open body of freshwater Saltwater marsh or wetland Flat saltwater shore; beach Rocky saltwater shore; cliff Open ocean; beyond sight of land Only or mostly in flight over freshwater Only or mostly in flight over land Only or mostly in flight over saltwater

Not completely sure? Choose Unknown when it is available—a careful “I don’t know” is more useful than a guess.

Your observation 8 answers recorded · open to review or change
  1. 1
    What TYPE of bird was seen ? Sparrow-like
    Change
  2. 2
    What colour was the THROAT ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
    Change
  3. 3
    What colour was the TOP of HEAD ? Gray, or blue-gray
    Change
  4. 4
    What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ? Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail)
    Change
  5. 5
    What colour was the BELLY ? Unknown
    Change
  6. 6
    What colour was the BREAST ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
    Change
  7. 7
    What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ? Light outer edge or corners
    Change
  8. 8
    What colour were the WINGS ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
    Change

Leading possibilities

10 possibilities remain

2 rules inferred
  1. 1

    Red-winged Blackbird

    Why this matches 5 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Sparrow-like
    • What colour was the THROAT ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
    • What colour was the TOP of HEAD ? Gray, or blue-gray
    • What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ? Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail)
    • What colour was the BREAST ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
    View profile
  2. 2

    Chestnut-collared Longspur

    Matching variants: Female, Nonbreeding Male

    Why this matches 5 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Sparrow-like
    • What colour was the THROAT ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
    • What colour was the TOP of HEAD ? Gray, or blue-gray
    • What colour was the BREAST ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
    • What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ? Light outer edge or corners
    View profile
  3. 3

    Smith's Longspur

    Matching variants: Female, Nonbreeding Male

    Why this matches 5 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Sparrow-like
    • What colour was the THROAT ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
    • What colour was the TOP of HEAD ? Gray, or blue-gray
    • What colour was the BREAST ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
    • What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ? Light outer edge or corners
    View profile
  4. 4

    Eurasian Skylark

    Why this matches 5 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Sparrow-like
    • What colour was the THROAT ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
    • What colour was the TOP of HEAD ? Gray, or blue-gray
    • What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ? Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail)
    • What colour was the BREAST ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
    View profile
  5. 5

    Lapland Longspur

    Matching variants: Female, Nonbreeding Male

    Why this matches 4 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Sparrow-like
    • What colour was the THROAT ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
    • What colour was the TOP of HEAD ? Gray, or blue-gray
    • What colour was the BREAST ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
    View profile

Showing the strongest matches so far. Keep answering—the order may change.

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