Avian Quiz – November 2010
By Jory • November 1, 2010 • 18 commentsHello again 10,000 Birders … it’s GREAT to be back!
It has been nearly two years since my last quiz. A major house flood, two graduations, much travel and insufficient birding for me since that last post in Feb 2009. I trust you have all been doing much more birding than me.
And I know you’ve missed me.
I anticipate that quizzes will be posted on the 1st of every month. Answers should be posted within a few days after that. If additional clues are needed, watch for the comments in the original post.
So here we go.
I am working up my appetite for generating bird quizzes again. This month’s quiz is a smallish quiz. Here are the clues:
1. No clue. Yes, it is possible to guess this species with no clues. Extra credit will be given.
2. “A kleptomaniac’s delight” is a description that I made up, paraphrasing a statement documented by a famous birder about an anonymous first-time observer of this species.
3. Solitary.
4. Monotonous.
5. Widespread.
6. Unobtrusive.
Birds in quizzes are ABA birds (Version 7.0, November 2008) unless otherwise stated. Post your answers in the comments below. Have fun.
Tags: ID Quiz
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After I put my eyes on clue #2, my appetite for the answer was increased.
I am going to take a shot in the dark and say Red-eyed Vireo, though I don’t think I am correct.
Brown thrasher? For its song: Pick it up pick it up drop it drop it cover it cover it…Dad called it the Planting Bird.
American Bittern?
Just guessing: a kite?
Common Raven.
All good guesses. I particularly like Julie’s Brown Thrasher guess, as it specifically talks to the inner kleptomaniac. But alas, no correct answers yet.
Here are a few additional items to cogitate on.
- “No clue”. Hmm, how could one guess the specific species on the first clue without any clues? Perhaps re-reading the entire post might help.
- This bird is a nemesis bird of mine. I live in upstate NY where it occurs, I have never seen it. I have heard it exactly once.
(and I thought this quiz was going to be easy!)
Whip-Poor-Will
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Bohemian Waxwing?
northern mockingbird
Do I get a second guess? Great Grey Owl
The good news is that everyone can get a second, or even third, guess.
Night Heron.
Nate’s right. Did my cryptic post this morning get lost or did I just not hit post?
I know Jory has seen Great Gray Owl and Bohemian Waxwing and Whip-poor-will and both Nightherons, and Northern Mockingshrike.
Sooo… yeah I think Northern Saw-Whet Owl as well.
If I am right, it was Jory’s second hint comment that did it. “No clue (Northern clue)” and “heard but not seen” did it.
After that, everything fell into place.
Kleptomaniac would refer to the fact that it’s small enough to fit in your pocket, no?
I would’ve guessed Gray Jay -except that they’re not really solitary or unobtrusive…
Then there are cuckoos – monotonous, widespread, and unobitrusive – but rather the opposite of a kleptomaniac…