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Free Books / Animals / Bird Guide East Rockies / | ![]() |
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Field Key For Identification Of Eastern Land Birds. By Conspicuous Markings |
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This section is from the book "Bird Guide: Water Birds, Game Birds And Birds Of Prey East Of The Rockies", by Chester A. Reed. Also available from Amazon: The Bird Book.
We have added this key at the request of many of our readers for a color scheme for identification. It includes all the birds that have markings of sufficient prominence to be readily noticed in the field.
Scarlet body; black wings and tail; 7 1/2 in. - Scarlet Tanager.
Red; darker above; crested; black face; 9 in. - Cardinal.
Rosy-red; wings and tail slightly darker; 7 1/2 in. - Summer Tanager .
Rosy-red; white wing bars; crossed bill; 6 in. - White-Winged Crossbill.
Rosy-red; Gray back, wings and tail; stout bill; 8 1/2 in. - Pine Grosbeak.
Brick-red; wings and tail darker; crossed bill; 6 in. - Crossbill.
Purplish-red, streaked with darker; dark wings and tail. - Purple Finch.
Red below; blue head; yellow back; 5 1/2 in. - Painted Bunting.
Red patch on crown (concealed); greenish back; 4 1/4 in. - Kinglet.
Red cap; black chin; rosy breast; streaked; 5 1/4 in. - Redpoll.
Pink breast and under wings; black head and back; 8 in. - Rose-Breasted Grosbeak.
Ruby throat; metallic green back; tiny birds - Hummingbird.
Orange-red under wings and patch on crown; long forked tail. - Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher.
Orange; black head, wings and tail (marked with yellow) - Baltimore Oriole.
Orange breast, crown patch and above eye; black and white back, wings and tail - Blackburnian Warbler.
Orange crown patch, edged with black; green back; 4 in. - Kinglet.
Orange on sides, wings and tail; black above; 5 1/2 in. - Redstart.
Orange-brown crown edged with black; green back; spotted breast - Oven-Bird.
Blue, shading to purplish on head; 5 1/2 in. - Indigo Bunting.
Blue; chestnut shoulders; black face; 7 in. - Blue Grosbeak.
Blue above; brownish breast; 7 in. - Bluebird.
Blue above; black collar, bars on wings and tail (also white) - Blue Jay.
Pale Blue above and streaks below; white on wings and tail - Cerulean Warbler.
Dark blue above; black throat and sides; white on wing - Black-Throated Blue Warbler.
Light blue head and back; brown breast; 5 1/2 in. - Lazuli Bunting.
Yellow below; green back; black mask - Maryland Yellowthroat.
Yellow below; gray head and breast; 5 1/2 in. - Mourning Warbler.
Yellow below; gray head and breast; white eye ring - Connecticut Warbler.
Yellow below; black crown and ears; yellow over eye - Kentucky Warbler.
Yellow below; green back; brown spots on back; black stripes on side - Prairie Warbler.
Yellow below; green back; brown crown and streaks on side; white on tail - Palm Warbler.
Yellow below; green back; yellow crown; brown stripes on sides - Yellow Warbler.
Yellow below; green back; brown ear patch and streaks on sides - Cape May Warbler.
Yellow below; green back; brown patch on crown; head gray above - Nashville Warbler.
Yellow below; green back; orange-yellow head; white on tail - Prothono-Tary Warbler.
Yellow below and on forehead; green back; black cap - Wilson Warbler.
Yellow forehead, ears and below: greenback; cap and throat black - Hooded Warbler.
Yellow breast; gray back; black spotted necklace - Canadian Warbler.
Yellow breast; green back; gray head; white over eye - Yellow-Breasted Chat.
Yellow breast; gray back; black through eye and down sides - Yellow-Throated Warbler.
Yellow breast; yellowish patch on back; brown on throat - Parula Warbler.
Yellow breast; green above; black throat and down sides - Black-Throated Green Warbler.
Yellow breast with black crescent; streaked above; 11 in. - Meadowlark.
Yellow above and below; black cap, wings and tail - Goldfinch.
Yellow head; black body; white patch on wing - Yellow-Headed Blackbird.
Yellow head; gray body; brown on shoulders; 4 1/2 in. - verdin.
Yellow crown; chestnut on sides; streaked above - Chestnut-Sided Warbler.
Yellow below and on rump; black back and spots on breast - Magnola Warbler.
Yellow patch on crown, rump and side; streaked with gray above - Myrtle Warbler.
Small brown birds (4 to 6 in.) with barred wings and tail - Wrens.
Uniform brown above, gray below; long broad tails - Cuckoos.
Bright reddish brown above; spotted breast; 11 1/2 in. - Brown Thrasher.
Brown body; black head, wings and tail - 7 1/2 in. - Orchard Oriole.
Reddish brown breast; slate back; dark head; 10 in. - Robin.
Dull brown back; grayish, more or less spotted breasts - Thrushes.
Brown belly; black crown and stripe through eye; gray back - Nuthatch.
Streaked brown and white; curved bill; climbs up trees - Brown Creeper.
Brownish gray; crested; yellow tip to tail; black through eye - Waxwing.
Brown crown, throat and streaks on sides; black mask - Bay-Breasted Warbler.
Brown sides; black head, throat and back; white on wings and tail - Towhee.
Brown rump and tail; gray back; streaked above and below - Fox Sparrow.
Brown shoulder, yellow breast patch; black on throat - Dickcissel.
Brown shoulder; streaked above; white outer tail feather - Vesper Sparrow.
Brown shoulder; black cap and patch on breast - Mccown Longspur.
Brown nape; black breast and cap; light throat - Chestnut-Collared Longspur.
Black crown and throat; gray back; 5 in. - Chickadee.
Black and white streaked bird; black crown; 5 in. - Black Poll Warbler.
Black and white streaked bird; striped crown - Black And White Warbler.
Slate head, breast and back; white below and outer tail feathers - Junco.
White throat; gray breast; crown striped black and white - White-Throated Sparrow.
Large white crown patch edged with black; light below - White-Crowned Sparrow.
Black body; yellowish nape; white rump and on wings - Bobolink.
Black crown; gray back; climbs down trees - White-Breasted Nuthatch.
Dull gray birds with no markings may be Flycatchers.
Dull brownish, streaked birds are probably species of Sparrows.
Plain greenish backs and dull white underparts denote Vireos.
Glossy blackbirds are Grackles Or Crows; if with red shoulders, Red-Winged Blackbird; with dull brown head, Cowbird.
 
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