Identification Tab Descriptions

Tab

Description

Location

Where were you when you saw the bird? Pick one (or more) states or provinces here. Scroll down to see all the states. Click on a location to limit the list to just birds of that location. You may select more than one location. Click again to unselect a location. If you do not select a location, the Wizard will look at all the birds for all locations.

Select or clear the Exclude rare and accidental birds check box at the bottom of this tab to aid your search. When checked, only species that regularly occur in a location are listed.

 

Size

It is actually quite difficult to judge the size of a bird. Check a box to limit the list of birds to those of a certain size. You may check more than one box to expand your search. Uncheck a box if you change your mind. If you do not select a size, the Wizard will look at all the birds.

The relative size shows birds that you may be familiar with. It is usually easier to determine that a bird you saw was “smaller than a Robin than to say it was less than 17 centimeters in length!

 

Habitat

When you saw the bird were you in the woods, at the beach or in a desert? Check the box for the appropriate habitat. You may check more than one box. The Wizard knows that birds can be found almost anywhere – especially during migration. The Wizard assumes that a good birder could reasonably expect to find this species in the habitat you selected at least 10% of the time.

 

Color

What color was the bird? This is not as easy a question as it seems. Click on all the boxes that apply. Colors assigned to a specific species may be colors found on the male, female or juvenile. The colors may be feet or bill colors as well as feather colors.

You may limit the scope of the color to one predominant color. This is usually not a good idea.

 

Field Marks

A line drawing shows four key field marks: Crest/Tufts, Eye-ring, White outer tail feathers, and Wing bars. Click one or more choices.

 

Group

 

 


Sound

You can narrow the list of birds to those of just one order, family or genus. Click the plus signs to expand the list. Click the minus signs to contract the list. Click on a box in front of a name to select it.

Select a Song by checking inside the small box next to a description. You may also check a Pattern such as rising or falling. Click the buttons to hear a sample. Click again to hear another sample. [Note: be sure to click the Unusual button]

The sound descriptions are all extremely subjective. The Wizard is trying his best, but this may be the least reliable of all the tabs to help you ID an unknown bird.