Minnesota
Terrestrial (Upland)
Bird Identification
Shawn P. Linder
Wildlife Management
Perham High School
March 5th, 2002
Problem Statement
• What are the various identifying features
of terrestrial birds of Minnesota?
Learning Objectives
Students will:
• 1. Identify and describe the characteristics
of Minnesota game birds.
• 2. Identify and describe the characteristics
of Minnesota game birds.
• 3. Compare and describe the difference of
a game bird and non-game bird.
K.Q #1: What is a terrestrial
(upland) game bird?
Upland Game Birds
• It’s a land thriving bird that is managed by
the Minnesota DNR for the recreation of
hunting.
>Why do we as a hunter need to know what
game birds are considered upland game
birds and which game is waterfowl?
K.Q. #2: What are the various
identifying characteristics of
Minnesota Upland Game Birds?
Upland Game Bird I.D.
Ring-Necked Pheasant
Ring-Necked Pheasant
• Buffy brown head and
underparts
• Dark brown back with
paler edgings and centers
• Black spots and bars
scattered about head,
neck and flanks
• Long, buff-brown,
pointed tail
• Lacks spurs
Ruffed Grouse
Sharp Tailed Grouse
Spruce Grouse
Spruce Grouse
• Gray-brown or reddishbrown plumage with
dark-brown and white
barring on underparts
• Black tail with brown
terminal band
• Ruffed Grouse is
browner and paler on
the belly with a black
subterminal band on
the tail.
• Size (Spruce smaller!)
Hungarian Partridge
• Sexes similar
• Male has dark brown
patch on center of belly,
female has smaller or
absent marking
• Chukar has red bill,
black eyeline and
necklace. Northern
Bobwhite has different
face pattern and is
smaller with a grayish
tail in flight.
Chuckar Partridge
• Sexes similar
• Black band above bill,
through the eye and
across upper neck.
• Hungarian Partridge
has a rusty face
without a black
necklace, a duller bill
and reddish bars on
the flanks.
Wild Turkey
• Sexes Similar (Larger
Head on Male)
• Very large, small-headed,
round-winged, longtailed, ground-dwelling
bird
• Unfeathered bluish head
and reddish throat
• Dark breast, belly and
upper back
Bobwhite Quail
• White chin and
supercilium
• Black cap, eyeline,
nape and throat
• Reddish-brown body
stippled with white
and black spots
• Pale belly
Bobwhite Quail
• Buff throat and
supercilium
• Dark cap, eyeline,
nape and throat
• Reddish-brown body
with darker back
• Black and white
streaks on chest
Virginia Rail
Virginia Rail
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Sexes Similar
Long, slightly decurved bill
Reddish bill
Legs brown or orange
Throat whitish
Blue-gray cheeks
Rust-colored breast and belly
Dark crown and back, edged tawny brown
Black and white barred flanks
Chestnut wing
Sora Rail
• Sexes Similar
• Yellow bill
• Black lores and throat
(paler in basic plumage)
• Blue-gray face, sides of
neck, and breast
• Brownish cap, nape,
hindneck, back and
upperwings
• Whitish belly
• Dark brown and white
barring on flanks
American Woodcock
Common Snipe
Woodcock vs. Snipe
• Woodcock the lines run across the head
from ear-to-ear.
• Snipe the lines run down the head from
eyes to wings.
• Woodcock wide, Snipe straight back. The
bill separates themselves from other
upland game.
Greater Prairie Chicken
K.Q. #3: What are the various
identifying characteristics of
Minnesota Terrestrial Non-game
Birds?
Non-game Terrestrial Bird I.D.
• Hawk Family
Bald Eagle
Osprey
• Short hooked beak
• White cap
• Dark brown eyeline
broadening behind eye
• Dark brown nape, back
and upperwings
• Wings from below: flight
feathers white barred with
black, undersecondary
coverts white and
underprimary coverts
black producing
rectangular black mark at
wrist
Sharp-Shinned Hawk
• White band on tail.
• Tail feathers squared.
• Same height as a
clipboard on end.
Cooper’s Hawk
• White band on tail.
• Rounded tail feathers
• Same size as
clipboard standing on
end.
Broad Wing Hawk
• Sexes similar
• Short, dark, hooked
beak
• Medium-sized, broadwinged, broad-tailed
hawk
• Short, broad wings
somewhat pointed at
the tip
Redtailed Hawk
• Very large Hawk!
• Sexes similar
• Short, dark, hooked
beek.
• Large red tail, tipped
with white.
American Kestrel
Osprey
• Length: 22 inches
Wingspan: 54 inches
• Large, narrow-winged
hawk
• Flies on flat wings with
distinct kink at elbow
• Wings taper to a rounded
tip
• Short hooked beak
• White cap
Great Horned Owl
• Length: 20 inches
• Very large owl with
prominent ear tufts
• Yellow eyes and dark
bill
• Reddish-brown facial
disks bordered by
black with a lower
border of white
• White throat patch
Barred Owl
• Length: 17 inches
• Dark eyes and yellow bill
• Back brown, mottled with
pale spots and dark bars
• Underparts pale with
long, brown streaks
• Chest pale with brown
barring
• Face pale with dark
concentric rings
surrounding eye
Screech Owl
• Length: 8 inches
• Large, rounded head
with ear tufts
• Yellow eyes
• Dense streaking on
underparts with finer
barring
• Dark gray or brown
upperparts
• Sexes similar
Snowy Owl
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Length: 20 inches
Large, rounded head
Yellow eyes
Entirely white
plumage with
scattered dark spots
• Immatures are boldly
barred with black
• Sexes similar
Other Common Terrestrial Birds
Sandhill Crane
• Length: 37 inches
Wingspan: 80 inches
• Large, long-legged,
long-necked bird
• Dark bill
• Unfeathered red
crown and lores
• Entirely gray
plumage,
Mourning Dove
• Sexes similar
• Pale buff-brown head,
neck, breast, and
belly
• Purple and green
iridescence on neck
• Small black mark on
lower neck
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
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Length: 3 inches
Long, straight, thin bill
Small hummingbird
Bright green back and
crown
White underparts with
greenish flanks
Iridescent scarlet gorget
Black face and chin
Entirely dark forked tail
Belted Kingfisher
• Large, short-legged, bigheaded, big-billed bird
• Hovers over water and
dives headfirst into water
in pursuit of fish
• Slate blue head, with
white spot near lores
• White chin, throat and
neck
• Slate blue breastband
Redheaded Woodpecker
• Bright red head and
neck
• White breast, belly,
rump, and vent
Blue Jay
• Black sturdy bill
• Blue crest and upperparts
• Black eyeline and
breastband
• Grayish-white throat and
underparts
• Bright blue wings with
black bars and white
patches
• Long blue tail with black
bars and white corners
• Dark legs
American Crow
• Length: 17 inches
• Entirely black
plumage
• Squared-off tail
• Very common in
urban and agricultural
areas
Purple Martin
• Dark purple plumage,
usually appears black
• Forked tail
• Tiny bill
Eastern Bluebird
• Bright blue upperparts
• Orange-red throat,
breast and sides
• White belly and
undertail coverts
Common Grackle
• Very long tail
• Long bill
• Entirely black
plumage
• Entirely purple or
purple and greenish
iridiscence to
plumage
• Pale eye
Brown-headed Cowbird
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Short, conical bill
Dark eyes
Brown head
Black body, wings
and tail