Re: What kind of bird is this?

Dear Ken,

I don't have a reference book specific to northern California birds, and a look through the "Birds of North America" field guide published by Golden did not reveal any obvious candidates. However, as a former ornithology student, I can offer some tips that will make future bird identifications much easier.

It is important to note not only the bird's color, but its physical features. Webbed feet is a good start, but what does the beak look like? Some waterfowl have long flat beaks; others have short ones. Seed eating birds generally have fat beaks for cracking seed while insect eaters generally have narrow, slender beaks.

Note the bird's habitat. For instance was the bird in a fresh water pond or marsh reeds or standing on a rock in salt water? Did the small songbird flit around the bushes or stay high in the canopy? Also, observe a bird's behavior. Does the duck dive for food or does it stick its bottom in the air? A bird's habitat and its behavior are great clues to its identity and should help you narrow your choices down.

If you or your son like bird watching, try keeping an informal notebook of what you see. Draw quick sketches of birds in action, writing down things like habitat and behavior. You'll be surprised how much you can notice about a bird!

The field guide I mentioned above is a great, inexpensive resource that's light enough to take on park outings. Also, a few web resources:

http://home.eznet.net/~arnesp/idbirds.html reiterates what I have said in more detail with "How to Identify a Bird"

http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/details/details.html is a site that goes into great detail on the proper construction of field notes should you be curious.

http://home.sol.no/~tibjonn/ is a site with many links to birding sites all over the web.

Happy Birding,
Tinsley Davis