Quiz #455 (2012-2-13) Solution

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Solution by Tony Leukering

Our quiz bird is flying at us, and one of the features that jumps out is the two bands on the chest. Ah, Killdeer. Unfortunately, things aren't quite that straightforward because, despite David Sibley's comment in his guide about the Killdeer's "two dark bands unique," they are not. There is another species covered in that guide that also has two dark chest bands. Granted, it's not a shorebird, which is probably what David was implying, but many might infer from those words that it was absolutely unique. The other species to consider is Belted Kingfisher, and a female of the species at that.

Comparing the features of the two really point out the amazing number of features that the two species share. In addition to the two dark bands, their underparts are otherwise nearly entirely white, the dark auriculars contrast with a white lower face, there is white above and in front of the eye, and they have extensive white bases to the primaries. While some respondents would have gotten to the correct answer on the strength of minor aspects of head pattern, the most obvious separating character is one that, perhaps, no one studied on this quiz picture: the tail. The underside of Killdeer's folded tail is nearly entirely white, thanks to the extensive white on that species' outermost rectrices. Thus, from the lower dark band on the chest, Killdeer shows white on the underside all the way to the tail tip. Conversely, Belted Kingfisher's tail is primarily dark and contrasts with the bird's white vent and undertail coverts.

I took this picture of a female Belted Kingfisher at the hawkwatch platform at Cape May Point S. P., Cape May Co., NJ, on 9 September 2011. One incorrect respondent's answer lacked a capitalized 'k.'

With this quiz being the final quiz of the quarter, it is time to award the quarterly prize, a year's membership in the Colorado Field Ornithologists and receipt of its quarterly journal, Colorado Birds. Two regulars tied this quarter with perfect 13-of-13 scores, Ben Coulter and Robert McNab. So, the toss of the coin results in...



the winner being Robert McNab! Congrats to Robert for finally breaking through for a win after being high on the leader board for many, many quarters! Richard Jeffers came in a very close second with 12 of 12 submitted answers correct.

Incorrect species provided as answer(s):
Killdeer - 4

Congratulations to the 16 of 20 getting the quiz correct:
Kirk Huffstater
Al Guarente
Tyler Bell
Bryan Guarente
Robert McNab
Thomas Hall
Ben Coulter
Richard Jeffers
Josh Yoder
Margaret Smith
Sean Walters
Nick Komar
Su Snyder
Margie Joy
Chishun Kwong
Joe Bens

Answer: Belted Kingfisher

Quiz #454 (2012-2-12) Solution

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Solution by Tony Leukering

Much of what most birders use to identify small birds such as this one is hidden behind the branch on which this week's quiz bird is perched. This picture, in which face and wings are invisible, forces us to use other features to ID the quiz bird. In fact, however, we can probably even age and sex the bird by the features visible.

The front of the bird is visible, and the black throat and upper-side streaking provide enough to know that we need look among the Parulidae for the solution to the quiz. However, a number of warbler species sport such features, so we'll have to look elsewhere on the bird still. While bill shape might provide a clue or two, we have a perfectly excellent field mark at the back end of the body to utilize. The undertail-coverts pattern of the quiz bird is unique among warblers, with each covert having a substantial black center.

I took this picture of an adult male Black-and-white Warbler in Cape May Point, Cape May Co., NJ, on 20 April 2011.

Tyler Bell is, apparently, a prophetic genius: "The ID might not be so difficult, but I'm guessing that the proper hyphenation/capitalization will trip up a few folks!" Indeed, there were three such submissions, all of which were precluded from being correct for the competition. Two lacked all hyphenation and two capitalized "white."

Incorrect species provided as answers:
none

Congratulations to the 17 of 17 respondents getting the quiz correct:
Kirk Huffstater
Tyler Bell
Ben Coulter
Patty McKelvey
Su Snyder
Al Guarente
Margie Joy
Thomas Hall
Richard Jeffers
Logan Kahle
Peter Wilkinson
Robert McNab
Pam Myers
Josh Yoder
Chishun Kwong
Bryan Guarente
Sean Walters

Answer: Black-and-white Warbler