The eBirdr field guide

Bird Advisor

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

Question 10 5 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. 1
    What TYPE of bird was seen ? Duck or Goose-like
    Change
  2. 2
    What colour was the BREAST ? Unknown
    Change
  3. 3
    What colour was the BILL ? Green
    Change
  4. 4
    What colour was the THROAT ? White, or pale (grayish-white)
    Change
  5. 5
    What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ? Unknown
    Change
  6. 6
    What colour was the BACK ? Black, purple, or dark
    Change
  7. 7
    WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
    Change
  8. 8
    What colour was the BELLY ? Black, purple, or dark
    Change
  9. 9
    In FLIGHT did the bird display a LIGHT WING STRIPE or PATCH ? No
    Change

Leading possibilities

5 possibilities remain

2 rules inferred
  1. 1

    Brandt's Cormorant

    Matching variants: Brandt's Cormorant, Immature

    Why this matches 6 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Duck or Goose-like
    • What colour was the THROAT ? White, or pale (grayish-white)
    • What colour was the BACK ? Black, purple, or dark
    • WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
    • What colour was the BELLY ? Black, purple, or dark
    • In FLIGHT did the bird display a LIGHT WING STRIPE or PATCH ? No
    View profile
  2. 2

    Neotropic Cormorant

    Why this matches 6 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Duck or Goose-like
    • What colour was the THROAT ? White, or pale (grayish-white)
    • What colour was the BACK ? Black, purple, or dark
    • WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
    • What colour was the BELLY ? Black, purple, or dark
    • In FLIGHT did the bird display a LIGHT WING STRIPE or PATCH ? No
    View profile
  3. 3

    Double-crested Cormorant

    Why this matches 5 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Duck or Goose-like
    • What colour was the THROAT ? White, or pale (grayish-white)
    • What colour was the BACK ? Black, purple, or dark
    • What colour was the BELLY ? Black, purple, or dark
    • In FLIGHT did the bird display a LIGHT WING STRIPE or PATCH ? No
    View profile
  4. 4

    American Purple Gallinule

    Why this matches 5 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Duck or Goose-like
    • What colour was the BILL ? Green
    • What colour was the THROAT ? White, or pale (grayish-white)
    • What colour was the BACK ? Black, purple, or dark
    • WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
    View profile
  5. 5

    Canada Goose

    Why this matches 2 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Duck or Goose-like
    • What colour was the THROAT ? White, or pale (grayish-white)
    View profile

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

Comparing your observations with 823 species in the Advisor knowledge base.

Start over