Bird Field Guide
• A field guide is a really helpful book to take on
hikes, picnics, camping with you. If you come
across a critter, a field guide can help you
identify what you’re looking at!
• As I go over the animals, draw arrows that
indicate “field marks”
– Field marks- patterns, colors, stripes, etc. that make
that bird species what it is
• In addition, you will be given calls- so try your
best to write down the mimic of the bird, or
what it sounds like to you
– Call- a noise that is just “talking” to other members of
the flock
– Song- a noise that is aiming to find a mate or claim
territory
Red-Winged Blackbird
Male has red patch on their
shoulders
Song
Blue Jay
Blue crest on head
Pinstriped tail
Bluish-black line extending
under chin and around
head
Song
Canada Goose
Long black neck
Call
White “chinstrap”
Northern Cardinal
Male is more red, and has
red crest on top of head
Female is less red and
more of a brownish yellow;
also has red crest on head
Song
Black-Capped Chickadee
Black cap extending over
the eyes
Call
American Crow
Medium sized compared to
a raven
Tail is more of a rounded
square
Call
Mourning Dove
Tan or cream colored body
Song
Common Grackle
Iridescent Head, Yellow
Eyes
Call
Ruffed Grouse
Fanned Tail with Black
Stripe
Call
Herring Gull
Has a patch of red on
mouth
Has yellow eyes
Call
Whitish legs
Broad-Winged Hawk
Dark and white stripe on
tail
Call
Great-Blue Heron
Long black stripe
extending over the head
Call
Large grey-blue body
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
Male has red throat; female
has same coloration on
body but no red throat
Flying
Killdeer
Banding on chest
Common Loon
Darker bill
White striped neck
Song
Greenish-Blackish
head
Mallard
Male has green head
Song
Female has brown body
with a purple or blue
coloration under wings
Baltimore Oriole
Orange Chest
Call
Great Horned Owl
Large tufts on head
Call
Eastern Screech Owl
Smaller Body
Call
American Red-Breasted Robin
Call
Male has bright red chest
Female has a less of an
intense coloration
Song Sparrow
Dark spot on chest
Song
European Starling
Iridescent body and Yellow
beak
Tree Swallow
White chest
Song
V-shaped tail
Wild Turkey
Male has large wattle
Females smaller
Male is much rounder
Call
Downy Woodpecker
Shorter bill
Smallest of the
woodpeckers
Call
Pileated Woodpecker
Call
Large body with red crest
Call
House Wren
Pin tail and brown
thatching
Call