The eBirdr field guide

Bird Advisor

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

Question 10 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 9 answers recorded · open to review or change

1
What TYPE of bird was seen ? Gull-like, or a Seabird
Change
2
What colour was the BILL ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
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3
What colour was the BREAST ? Gray, or blue-gray
Change
4
How BIG was the bird ? Larger than a goose
Change
5
What colour was the THROAT ? Unknown
Change
6
WHERE was the bird seen ? Southeastern United States
Change
7
In FLIGHT did the bird display a LIGHT WING STRIPE or PATCH ? No
Change
8
What colour was the BELLY ? Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown)
Change
9
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
Change

Leading possibilities

2 possibilities remain

1 rule inferred

1
Great Cormorant
Why this matches 7 supporting observations
- What TYPE of bird was seen ? Gull-like, or a Seabird
- What colour was the BREAST ? Gray, or blue-gray
- How BIG was the bird ? Larger than a goose
- WHERE was the bird seen ? Southeastern United States
- In FLIGHT did the bird display a LIGHT WING STRIPE or PATCH ? No
- What colour was the BELLY ? Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown)
- What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
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2
Double-crested Cormorant
Why this matches 6 supporting observations
- What TYPE of bird was seen ? Gull-like, or a Seabird
- What colour was the BREAST ? Gray, or blue-gray
- How BIG was the bird ? Larger than a goose
- In FLIGHT did the bird display a LIGHT WING STRIPE or PATCH ? No
- What colour was the BELLY ? Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown)
- What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ? Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan
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Showing the strongest matches so far. Keep answering—the order may change.