Bird Identification

Bird identification can be challenging for both beginners and Wild Bird Identification: Birds Don't Read the Books!

experienced birders alike. We get a lot of inquiries regarding bird id and we thought we should have a page that is dedicated to those questions so that everyone can participate and share all in one place.

As far as beginners go, we highly recommend you reviewing our Bird Field Guides, Wild Bird Identification, Best Birding Apps for iPhone, Bird Song Identification and Bird Watching Tips pages which also give bird id tips and advice that we have learned over the years from our own bird watching experience as well as from other experienced birders. We would love all bird watchers to visit those pages and share their tips for identifying birds as well.

If you do submit your questions below, please try to give as much details as possible. Our biggest problem with submissions for bird id is lack of information. For example, if you tell us you saw a big brown bird it is going to be pretty difficult to determine what species of bird you saw.

It's all in the details. We need as much details as possible such as describing the bird's size, body shape, bill shape, wing and tail shape, how does it fly, field marks (patterns), describe the habitat or area it was in - dense trees, grassy meadow, wetland, etc.. There are some examples of these criteria here: Wild Bird Identification Questions

Submitting Photos: Although it would be especially helpful, we realize not everyone can send us a photo of the bird. If you cannot get a close-up, even a far away picture would be better than none. Even if you can take a photo of where the bird was would still be better than nothing because often habitat and surroundings do help narrow down choices. So please do attach photos if you can.

Your Input: We don't know it all, so if you happen to see a submission that is unanswered or you would like to add a comment to, please feel free! Just use the "Click here to post comments" link that follows the person's question on that page. If you click any of the links below under "Fellow Birder's Tips and Questions for Identifying Birds", you will see the entire identification question and description

We also have a collection of bird pictures divided by type such as accipiters, falcons, hawks, eagles, owls and songbirds. If you can classify your bird as one of the above or with even further division, for example warbler if a songbird, even better. Once we have enough collection enough bird identification photos and submissions we plan to divide this page into birds of prey identification, baby bird identification, woodpecker identification, etc..

Do You Have A Bird Identification Tip or Question?

I'm always learning new things about bird watching from fellow birders. Please share your bird identification tips with our online birding community. Or if you have a question about identifying a bird, please ask here.

Fellow Birder's Tips and Questions for Identifying Birds

Click below to see contributions from other birders about bird identification...

Cooper's Hawk Bird ID Q: What species is this? Photographed in League City, Texas in early February after eating a sparrow on my suburban fence near a bird feeder.

A:...

Male Ruby-crowned Kinglet Q: I took this photo in Dallas, Texas. It was about 3 inches long. It appeared to hover when looking for food. There was a bright red spot on top of ...

Is This A Worm-eating Warbler? Q: I live in east central Illinois. This cute little bird with a brown back and cream chest has been enjoying our suet feeder for a few days. There are ...

Hawk or Eagle Q. What kind of bird is this? About every 3 days it kills a squirrel and eats it on top of telephone pole.

A. This is a Red-tailed Hawk. The field mark ...

Chipping Sparrow ID Q: This bird has been in my feeders for a few weeks now and I cannot identify it. Is this some type of wren? If so, what kind? Thanks.

A: This is ...

Canyon Towhee Q: I took the attached picture was taken at a friend’s house in the east Sandia Mountains in Albuquerque, NM. I have referenced the field guide for ...

Canada Goose Hybrid with Greylag Goose Q: Can you identify this bird for me? My wife took the attached pic in mid April in our back field near our pond. We are in southern Ontario, Niagara ...

Partial Albino White Crowned Sparrow Q: I live in the Piney Woods region of northeast Texas (e/of Paris). I have several white crowned sparrows at the feeder but I just noticed this bird ...

Kentish Plover Q: This photograph was taken on the shores of the Red Sea in Eygpt, please can you help identify the bird for me?

A: This is a Kentish Plover Charadrius ...

Female American Goldfinch, Winter Plumage Q: Unable to identify bird. Location is Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. Bird is little smaller than sparrow. Thanks. -Bob Huff

A: This is a female ...

Dove or a Pigeon? Q: What kind of dove or pigeon is this?

A: Although I cannot see all the fieldmarks from the photo, it appears to be a Common Bronzewing ( Phaps chalcoptera ...

Hawk or Falcon? Q: This lovely bird was spotted sitting on our back fence today
(1/3/11) in San Antonio TX at about 4:30 PM. He was hanging out above our
feeders ...

American Kestrel Bird ID? Q: Is this a Prairie Falcon? I FINALLY spotted this bird outside on my balcony, under the roof eaves. It has been there for at least 4-5 months, only ...

California Towhee Bird ID? Q: We live in Northern Calif. about 30 south of Medford Oregon. I have
identified all the birds for winter except this one. It is about one and a ...

Gull ID in Muskegon, MI - Ross's Gull? Q: Taking the given information as accurate (which I absolutely true to my knowledge and my four other siblings which saw this bird), please give me ...

Mystery Bird- Help! Bird ID - Northern Flicker? I didn't get a close enough look at this bird for all the details people normally need. I'm trying to remember how it stood, whether there were wing bars,...

Turkey Vulture Bird Identification Turkey Vulture Q: What kind of birds are these? There were 7 soaring above me for close to 20 minutes. They appeared to be playing in the wind being pushed ...

Do You Have A Bird Identification Tip or Question?

Fellow Birder's Tips and Questions for Identifying Birds

Questions or Comments?