OutdoorNebraska

D id you see that? It's small and jumping from branch to branch. It looks like a bird … it is a bird! But what bird is it? We often see birds in nature, but knowing what bird it is can be tricky. Use these simple tricks to identify the birds you see. Markings When trying to identify a bird, you often have just seconds to see the bird before it flies off. So, look for obvious markings – the bright tip on the tail, the crown on its head, the bright colored legs, and the stripes on its back. All of these markings can be great clues to identifying birds. Shape Some birds, such as owls, are often short and squat. Other birds, such as cranes, are long and slender. Herons have an "S" shaped neck. Looking at the shape of the bird works when the bird is perched and when it is flying. A seagull's wing shape when flying looks much like a fighter jet. A flying turkey vulture has long, broad wings when flying to help it soar. Size The size of a bird is relatively simple to determine. Exprienced birders often will describe a bird's size in three categories: smaller than a robin, between a robin and a crow, and larger than a crow. A black-capped chickadee (about 5¼ inches long) would be smaller than a robin. A blue jay (about 11 inches long) would be between a robin and a crow. And a great horned owl (about 22 inches long) would be larger than a crow. Determining the size of a bird will go a long way in narrowing down what bird you are seeing. Color To me, one of the fastest and easiest ways to determine what bird you are seeing is by looking at the bird's colors. If it is black and red, it can't be a long-billed curlew. But, it could be a red-winged blackbird or a red-headed woodpecker. Already you have narrowed down your search! Location You will not find a flamingo in a Nebraska prairie. Looking at the range of a bird, the geographical area where this species can be found, will also help you narrow down your bird search. Is this bird found only in western Nebraska? Or, maybe it is found only in southeastern Learning How to Identify Birds T u f t ed T i t m o u se C e d a r W ax w i n g Ba rr ed O w l G re a t B l u e He r o n A m e r i c a n R o b i n A m e r i c a n C ro w R ed - w i ng ed B l ack b i r d 8 — BIRDOLOGY: A Kid's Book About Birds 8 — BIRDOLOGY: A Kid's Book About Birds

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