tags: Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, photographed at 40 Acre Lake, Brazos Bend State Park, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 28 February 2007 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/50s f/8.0 at 500.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Rick Wright, Managing Director of WINGS Birding Tours Worldwide, writes:
The huge bill, long crest, and lavish tail put us onto the cardinal grosbeaks right away. Of the two Cardinalis species expected in Texas, Pyrrhuloxia shows a short, heavily curved, dark or yellowish bill; its lore is also red. Northern Cardinal's bill is huge and triangular, the classic "gros" beak, and its bill is outlined by a more or less extensive black area. Clearly, this is a Northern Cardinal, and the bird's largely gray-brown body plumage identify it as a female.
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Well, it's Thanksgiving over there. So that must be a turkey.
Female Northern Cardinal. The pink beak helps distinguish her from a Pyrrhuluxia.
Must be a cardinal. I'm not sure if it's a female or a winter-coated male - probably the former though she seems a bit red. Marks - crest, pink bill, black face.
Fall Butterball.
Identifying marks: Date on calendar.
Have a safe Thanksgiving!
That's a really lovely photo - the colors are so harmonious.