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Answer 1 |
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Photo #1 “Easy” This bird falls pretty clearly into the Passerine group, and, though exact size is hard to judge, seems to be medium-large in size, as Passerines go. The plumage is distinctively marked- white spots on grayish upperparts, extensive orange-ish on the underparts, especially on the flanks. The pattern seems vaguely similar to a Spotted Towhee, but towhees have a short, conical, sparrow-like bill. The medium-length, sturdy but not too thick, relatively straight but not spike-like bill, combined with a medium-long tail and an upright stance is most suggestive of either one of the typical thrushes or some members of the Mimidae (thrashers, mockingbirds, etc.) Mimids are more slender than this bird, though, and all are a bit longer-tailed proportionately; this looks more like a thrush. There is some spotting on the breast, suggesting one of the “spotted thrushes” (Hermit, Swainson's, etc.), but none of these have orange on the underparts. This color pretty much limits the choices to Varied Thrush and the familiar American Robin. It can't be a Varied Thrush, though, because all plumages of these have a broad orange supercilium, and extensive orange markings on the wings. That leaves a robin, but with a pale spotted breast, and all that white spotting on the wings and back? And don't robins have a mostly yellow bill? Well, adults do, but the juveniles have a dark bill at first, have a pale breast with dark spots, and pale spotting on the upperparts, just like this bird. The overall size, posture, structure, and general appearance of these are often easy to recognize at first glance, at least before a closer look with binoculars brings in confusing details. This juvenile American Robin was at Natural Bridges on July 17.
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