The eBirdr field guide

Bird Advisor

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

Question 7 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 6 answers recorded · open to review or change
  1. 1
    What TYPE of bird was seen ? Identify from a Unique Behaviour
    Change
  2. 2
    List any unique feeding behaviour observed ? Turning over stones
    Change
  3. 3
    What TAIL BEHAVIOURS if any were noted ? Pointing downward
    Change
  4. 4
    How did the bird fly ? Undulating (roller coaster-like or bounding)
    Change
  5. 5
    WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
    Change
  6. 6
    How BIG was the bird ? Sparrow-sized
    Change

Leading possibilities

5 possibilities remain

  1. 1

    Western Bluebird

    Matching variants: Female, Male

    Why this matches 4 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Identify from a Unique Behaviour
    • What TAIL BEHAVIOURS if any were noted ? Pointing downward
    • WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
    • How BIG was the bird ? Sparrow-sized
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  2. 2

    Mountain Bluebird

    Matching variants: Female, Male

    Why this matches 4 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Identify from a Unique Behaviour
    • What TAIL BEHAVIOURS if any were noted ? Pointing downward
    • WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
    • How BIG was the bird ? Sparrow-sized
    View profile
  3. 3

    Eastern Bluebird

    Matching variants: Female, Male

    Why this matches 4 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Identify from a Unique Behaviour
    • What TAIL BEHAVIOURS if any were noted ? Pointing downward
    • WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
    • How BIG was the bird ? Sparrow-sized
    View profile
  4. 4

    Gray Vireo

    Why this matches 4 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Identify from a Unique Behaviour
    • What TAIL BEHAVIOURS if any were noted ? Pointing downward
    • WHERE was the bird seen ? Southwestern United States
    • How BIG was the bird ? Sparrow-sized
    View profile
  5. 5

    American Goldfinch

    Matching variants: Female or winter Male, Male

    Why this matches 3 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Identify from a Unique Behaviour
    • How did the bird fly ? Undulating (roller coaster-like or bounding)
    • How BIG was the bird ? Sparrow-sized
    View profile

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

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