The eBirdr field guide

Bird Advisor

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

Question 11 2 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 10 answers recorded · open to review or change

1
What TYPE of bird was seen ? Sparrow-like
Change
2
What colour was the THROAT ? Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown)
Change
3
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ? Black, purple, or dark
Change
4
What colour was the BREAST ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
Change
5
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ? Unknown
Change
6
What colour was the BELLY ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
Change
7
WHERE was the bird seen ? Northwestern Canada or United States
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8
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ? Dark and light bands across it
Change
9
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ? NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE
Change
10
What SHAPE was the TAIL ? Square or slightly notched at the end
Change

Leading possibilities

2 possibilities remain

3 rules inferred

1
Lapland Longspur

Matching variants: Female, Nonbreeding Male
Why this matches 6 supporting observations
- What TYPE of bird was seen ? Sparrow-like
- What colour was the THROAT ? Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown)
- What colour was the TOP of HEAD ? Black, purple, or dark
- What colour was the BREAST ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
- What colour was the BELLY ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
- What SHAPE was the TAIL ? Square or slightly notched at the end
View profile
2
Oriental Greenfinch
Why this matches 6 supporting observations
- What TYPE of bird was seen ? Sparrow-like
- What colour was the THROAT ? Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown)
- What colour was the TOP of HEAD ? Black, purple, or dark
- What colour was the BREAST ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
- What colour was the BELLY ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
- WHERE was the bird seen ? Northwestern Canada or United States
View profile

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