The OFFICIAL Bird ID Thread

One of the most oft requested posts on this forum is ID assistance. In order to help facilitate those trying to identify the birds they have photographed, I figured I would start this thread. I have been birding since 1989 and there are many other excellent birders on this forum. Too often, ID posts just don't have the right info to help.

When posting a request for ID please use the following and be as specific as possible:

Location Taken: State at a MINIMUM, county would be nice or a wildlife refuge, park, etc.

Date Taken: If you don't know the exact date, guess. If you don't know that, then post a month. If you have no idea on month then give the season. A few days can make a difference in what might be seen in various locations.

Behavior Not Shown in Photo: Sometimes a behavior can be a great clue even if it isn't shown in the photo.

If you post more than one photo (of different species), please provide info for EACH photo.

Let us know if you have other photos of the bird from different angles that you might not have posted.

I will occasionally post some photos of tough ID's for others to enjoy.

Here is one to start:

Location Taken: Williamson County, TX (near Granger, TX); Riparian Habitat

Date Taken: 10/8/2013

HINT: They are NOT the same species.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/leehoy/10890609​426/

I know what they are but I'll leave it for others to work on.

Glad to see this, Lee. There is a similar thread in the Bird Talk but it just doesn't get enough traffic for people to know about it. Hopefully this will be stickied because if it gets bumped back a few pages it wont be used.

I will try to add a photo for ID challenges every now and then to keep on front.

I like this! I don't like starting a new thread just to show my ignorance all the time!

Anyway, I was out at Pt. Reyes (North of San Francisco) the other week shooting raptors(11/03/13). The hawks were still migrating and I got this guy. It really isn't that great of a picture, but I am still curious what type of hawk this is.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …35175693@N07/10​684156395/

Subscribed. I always need help. Like what is this one? Shot handheld, very overcast skies. In the Kiambu Area of Kenya.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/smandavia/97061​87781/

Both of those look like Red Tail Hawks.

The first hawk, the one from Point Reyes, is a Ferruginous

chubri777 wrote in post #16458706
The first hawk, the one from Point Reyes, is a Ferruginous

Thanks! I had never seen one with a white belly like that.

Actually birdforum.net just identified it as an Augur Buzzard. Thanks all.

dfbovey wrote in post #16458496
Both of those look like Red Tail Hawks.

Location is key when IDing birds. The second image that looks like an almost leucistic Red-tailed Hawk was photographed in Africa, so it is impossible that it is a Red-tailed Hawk. However, the Red-tailed Hawk and the Auger Buzzard are both in the Genus Buteo, so that means they are very close relatives, hence the shared trait of the red tail.

Well since we are almost off of the third page now I'll have a stab at the first pic. Blue Grosbeak female type on top and Indigo Bunting female type on bottom.

Nice work Chuck, you nailed it!!!

This is a great idea for a thread. Here are three I have always wondered about. Probably easy ones for the experts. Thanks!

Taken in Belize, November 2012 in a mangrove area near the coast

IMAGE LINK: http://s1213.photobuck​et.com …6851_zps8790d51​6.jpg.html

IMAGE LINK: http://s1213.photobuck​et.com …6819_zps43b4ffe​5.jpg.html

IMAGE LINK: http://s1213.photobuck​et.com …6864_zpsb94ed32​b.jpg.html