The eBirdr field guide

Bird Advisor

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

Question 6 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 5 answers recorded · open to review or change
  1. 1
    What TYPE of bird was seen ? Songbird (ground or perching bird)
    Change
  2. 2
    What colour was the BREAST ? Gray, or blue-gray
    Change
  3. 3
    What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ? Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye
    Change
  4. 4
    What colour was the THROAT ? White, or pale (grayish-white)
    Change
  5. 5
    How BIG was the bird ? Smaller than a sparrow
    Change

Leading possibilities

5 possibilities remain

  1. 1

    Horned Lark

    Why this matches 5 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Songbird (ground or perching bird)
    • What colour was the BREAST ? Gray, or blue-gray
    • What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ? Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye
    • What colour was the THROAT ? White, or pale (grayish-white)
    • How BIG was the bird ? Smaller than a sparrow
    View profile
  2. 2

    Chestnut-collared Longspur

    Matching variants: Female, Nonbreeding Male

    Why this matches 4 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Songbird (ground or perching bird)
    • What colour was the BREAST ? Gray, or blue-gray
    • What colour was the THROAT ? White, or pale (grayish-white)
    • How BIG was the bird ? Smaller than a sparrow
    View profile
  3. 3

    Lapland Longspur

    Matching variants: Female, Nonbreeding Male

    Why this matches 4 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Songbird (ground or perching bird)
    • What colour was the BREAST ? Gray, or blue-gray
    • What colour was the THROAT ? White, or pale (grayish-white)
    • How BIG was the bird ? Smaller than a sparrow
    View profile
  4. 4

    McCown's Longspur

    Matching variants: Female, Nonbreeding Male

    Why this matches 4 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Songbird (ground or perching bird)
    • What colour was the BREAST ? Gray, or blue-gray
    • What colour was the THROAT ? White, or pale (grayish-white)
    • How BIG was the bird ? Smaller than a sparrow
    View profile
  5. 5

    Black-faced Grassquit

    Why this matches 4 supporting observations
    • What TYPE of bird was seen ? Songbird (ground or perching bird)
    • What colour was the BREAST ? Gray, or blue-gray
    • What colour was the THROAT ? White, or pale (grayish-white)
    • How BIG was the bird ? Smaller than a sparrow
    View profile

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

Comparing your observations with 658 species in the Advisor knowledge base.

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