The eBirdr field guide

Bird Advisor

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

Question 7 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 6 answers recorded · open to review or change
  1. 1
    What TYPE of bird was seen ? Gull-like, or a Seabird
    Change
  2. 2
    What colour was the BILL ? Black, purple, or dark
    Change
  3. 3
    How BIG was the bird ? Goose-sized
    Change
  4. 4
    What colour was the BREAST ? Black, purple, or dark
    Change
  5. 5
    What colour was the BELLY ? Unknown
    Change
  6. 6
    WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
    Change

Leading possibilities

10 possibilities remain

1 rule inferred
  1. 1

    Magnificent Frigatebird

    Matching variants: Female, Immature, Male

    Why this matches 5 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Gull-like, or a Seabird
    • What colour was the BILL ? Black, purple, or dark
    • How BIG was the bird ? Goose-sized
    • What colour was the BREAST ? Black, purple, or dark
    • WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
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  2. 2

    Brandt's Cormorant

    Why this matches 4 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Gull-like, or a Seabird
    • How BIG was the bird ? Goose-sized
    • What colour was the BREAST ? Black, purple, or dark
    • WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
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  3. 3

    Neotropic Cormorant

    Why this matches 4 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Gull-like, or a Seabird
    • How BIG was the bird ? Goose-sized
    • What colour was the BREAST ? Black, purple, or dark
    • WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
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  4. 4

    Pelagic Cormorant

    Why this matches 4 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Gull-like, or a Seabird
    • How BIG was the bird ? Goose-sized
    • What colour was the BREAST ? Black, purple, or dark
    • WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
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  5. 5

    Anhinga

    Matching variants: Female or Immature, Male

    Why this matches 4 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Gull-like, or a Seabird
    • How BIG was the bird ? Goose-sized
    • What colour was the BREAST ? Black, purple, or dark
    • WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
    View profile

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

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