Birds! Oh the Difficulties.

Let me just say I admire anyone who is a birder. Mr. Webb, I respect you so much. For some reason identifying plants comes way easier to me than identifying birds. I'm getting there I promise. I have over 28 birds to learn by "next week". I've broken them up and here's my first seven:

1) Snow Goose Chen caerulescens (Anseriformes Anatidae)

As far as I can tell, I should look for the white body, orange beak with the black "tooth" line, the black wing tips, and the bigger body.

I need to identify the call of this one too. If anyone has tips on that . . well let me know.

2) Ross's Goose Chen rossii (Anseriformes Anatidae)

This one looks a lot like a snow goose - white with black wing tips, orange legs and bill - but it's smaller and has a shortened beak and more of a squashed head. It's easier to identify when they're side-by-side.






3) Canada Goose Branta canadensis (Anseriformes Anatidae)

Everyone seems to know this bird but me. I know I've seen it, but I'd never be able to tell you that's what it is. It has a black head and bill and a brown body and has the white "stripe" under the eye and head.

I have to know this bird by call too.


4) Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons (Anseriformes Anatidae)

Ok. A small picture, I know. This goose has an orange bill with white right above it. It also has something called mottling - which I honestly don't . . . .  know about yet.

5) Brant Branta bernicla (Anseriformes Anatidae)

A brant has a brown head and top of body with a white neck ring. The bottom of the body is white.

6) Tundra Swan Cygnus colombianus (Anseriformes Anatidae)

So a Tundra Swan is a large bird that I can only describe as "graceful" looking. It has a long black beak with a yellow patch (hard to see in this picture) under the eye.

7) Wood Duck Aix sponsa (Anseriformes Anatidae)

I honestly think this bird is pretty. It has a brown chest with white spots. The male has a green head and a bright red eye. I think the male has some blue on the wing too but I'm not really sure. There's some pretty white stripes dividing clear areas of color.