The 4 Keys to Bird Identification

To identify birds, use these 4 keys.

1. Size and Shape

2. Color Pattern

3. Behavior

4. Habitat

When looking to identify a Baltimore Oriole use these tips.

The size and shape will be medium and not so big. They will also have short tails with long legs, and regular size beak (medium; not too big or long).

Notice the color patterns. Mostly look for orange blending into yellow and grey legs, and the head and wings are fully black and the end of the wing has white dots that looks like  small mountains. Study the behaviors.  The Baltimore Oriole eyes attract the color orange like its body. It searches for food like nectar, flowers, and insects.  To find a Baltimore Oriole make sure you are viewing places like woodlands, backyards, river banks and more. They don't really go deep in the forest.  With these tips I hope you have a good time trying to find a Baltimore Oriole.

 Baltimore Oriole

When looking to identify a Common Yellowthroat peep into these tips.

The size and shape will be somewhat small with a medium, skinny beak, round breasts, and a long tail.

Notice the color patterns.  Look for olive brown with a bold yellow throat and chest and a thick black mask, though the female does not have the mask. There is a little white stripe between the mask and the back.

Study the behaviors.  The male bounces in and out of tall grass while singing a mating song; they eat bugs of all sizes. Their nests are cups built low to the ground. They have 3-5 white eggs with brown marks, the Mom sits on the eggs. The Mom and Dad feed bugs to the babies.

To find a Common Yellowthroat make sure you are viewing a black mask, a white stripe in between the neck and the back and an olive-brown back. 

Common Yellowthroat

When looking to identify a Blue jay peep into these tips.

The size and shape of the Blue Jay is 12 inches with a long narrow beak, with a long tail wing.

Notice the color patterns.  Look for a lot of blue colors. and they have a black necklace and a cup of twigs.

Study the behaviors.  They eat worms to stay alive and to keep up with other birds, and you might hear loud and noisy hacks outside at night.

To find a Blue Jay make sure you are viewing the outdoors right in your backyard. God has made these birds to help give us peace.

Blue Jay

When looking to identify a Northern Cardinal peep into these tips.

The size and shape will be almost like a toy car. Look for a beak that will look like a nut.  When looking for the color look for red and orange. 

Notice the color patterns.  Look for mostly red and some brown and a black mask that will be on the two eyes. 

Study the behaviors.  A Cardinal's behavior will be really weird when they stand alone.

To find a cardinal make sure you are viewing the trees and leaves. 

Northern Cardinal

When looking to identify a Great Horned Owl look into these tips.         

The size and shape will be round with pointed wings that stretch out to about 3 feet.

Notice the color patterns.  Look for fluffy brown fur, with white around its neck.                                                      

Study the behaviors.  The Great Horned Owl will be roosting in trees, snags or, thick brushes.                           

To find the Great Horned Owls habitat you can view them near Northern  America up in the north tree line.

Great Horned Owl

When looking to identify a Turkey Vulture use these tips. The size and shape will be 31.9 in (64-81 cm) the wingspan is 66.9-70.1 in (170-178 cm). They have long fingers and nails.

Notice the color patterns.  Look for black feathers from a distance and dark brown feathers from close-up.  They have red heads.

Study the behaviors.

The Turkey Vultures usually fly in small groups and when they fly they have a few wing beats. To find a Turkey Vulture make sure you are viewing around farms and the country-side and also construction sites.

     Turkey Vulture

When looking to identify a Red-Headed Woodpecker peep into these tips.

The size and shape will be smaller than a crow but bigger than a sparrow.  It has a cylinder body with a long beak.         

Notice the color patterns.  Look for the entirely red head, snow-white body, and half-inky black wings.

Study the behaviors.  The  Red-Headed Woodpecker will often be on a tree branch staying still. It also likes to catch bugs on its wings while flying. The Red-Headed Woodpecker will also play hide and seek with mates around telephone poles.                         

To find a Red-Headed Woodpecker make sure you are viewing open woodland, groves of dead or dying trees, burned areas, or recent clearings.

Red-Headed Woodpecker

When looking to identify a Mourning dove be aware of these tips.

The size and shape will be chubby when sitting, round-breasted, medium size tail, also the beak is long and medium-sized.

Notice the color patterns.  A brown to gray bird with shiny iridescent pink and greenish-blue on the neck, a gray patch on the head, and black spots on the wings and tail.

Study the behaviors.  The Mourning Dove will be feeding on the ground in the open. They peck and push aside ground litter. Males have favorite cooing perches they defend from other males. 

To find a Mourning Dove make sure you are viewing telephone wires,  perches or the ground where they  get seeds and girts. Also grassland, agricultural fields, backyards,and road sides. 

Fun facts: Mourning doves wings flow in the wind so it creates a whistling sound.

Mourning doves are one of the few birds that drinks without lifting its head. The mourning dove is known for its soft, mournful (sad) song.

Nest-  The Mourning Dove nest has a flimsy platform in a tree made with twigs. It easily falls apart in storms and high winds.

Mourning Dove

When looking to identify an American robin you should look into these tips.

The size and shape will be chubby, round, with sharp tails, long legs, and a short beak.

Notice the color patterns.  Look for a black head, orange stomach, grey wings, and blackish wings. 

The American Robin usually hops around, and it also finds worms to feed its baby birds and for itself.

To find an American Robin make sure you are viewing places like fields, parks, outdoors, and backyards; they are everywhere!

American Robin

When looking to identify a Red-tailed Hawk use these tips.

The size of a male is 56 inches and 40 pounds the female is 1/3 than the male.  Color patterns. The raptor has rich brown fur and is pale at the bottom. Behaviors. They will remain together for years. The male will search for food while the female stays with the baby. Make sure you are viewing woodlands open grasslands or on the side of the highway.

  Red Tailed Hawk

When looking to identify a Bald Eagle, look into these tips.

The size and shape will be really muscular and large.

To notice the color patterns look for an all black-body with an all-white head.

Study their behaviors, sometimes they will play with many varieties of items.

To find a Bald Eagle make sure you are viewing the trees, the sky, and places with large bodies of water.

 BALD EAGLE

When looking to identify a Cedar Waxwing peep into these tips.

The size and shape will be a fat, big breast, with a small crest.

Notice the color patterns.  Look for red, and yellow tips on the wings.

Study the behaviors.  They are social  birds, they love to eat berries, especially blackberries.

To find a Cedar Waxwing make sure you are viewing  in Missouri all year around,they are common in towns and cities.

    Cedar Waxwing

Wood Ducks seem to fare best in open water that has 50-75% vegetative cover.  That allows the ducks to hide and forage in it.

Wood Ducks thrive in bottom land, forests, swamps, freshwater marshes, and beaver ponds.

They are also common along streams of all sizes, from creeks to rivers.

Wood Duck

When looking to identify a Downy Woodpecker look into these tips.

The size and shape will be a cylinder and round breast.

Notice the color patterns.  Look for a red stripe on its head and white spots on it's wings.

Study the behaviors.  Notice that the beak moves fast the tail moves fast.

To find a Downy Woodpecker make sure you are viewing the woods and forest and trees. 

 Downy Woodpecker

When looking to identify an Orchard Oriole peep into these tips

The size and shape will be an oval head.

Notice the color patterns.  Look for a black head with black wings and a white beak.

Study the behaviors.  The Songster with a clear loud Whistle in Mexico Central and South America.

To find an Orchard Oriole make sure you are viewing orchards or open woods, parks, and yards.

Orchard  Oriole

When looking to identify a Ruby Throated Hummingbird use these tips.

The size and shape will be small and their beaks are long.

Notice the color patterns of red, white, and green.  They have a black head and black wings.

Study the behaviors.  They chatter or buzz. The Hummingbird does not sing or hum fast.  With its flapping wings it is the only bird that can fly backwards.

 You can find them in the parks and  forests.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird