Mystery Photos!
These are photos of birds that I can't identify or could not identify at
the time of photographing and thought might make fun "quiz" birds for people. If you would like to comment on these photos
please send me an email and let
me know.
Bird #7:
This one was seen at a feeder along the Rio Grande near Creede CO in late
summer during hummer migration.
![](hummer.jpg)
Bird #6:
I found this bird at Pueblo City Park while photographing Woodducks and I
didn't really look at it until I was putting the photo up on the web.
The dark eyes and red on the bill had me confused -- but it's just a
young Ring-bill. It has the same mantle coloration as a Ring-bill,
yellowish legs, lack of tertial and scapular crescents, etc.
![](rbgu.jpg)
Bird #5:
This bird, an another like it, were on a pond with Canvasbacks, Greater
and Lesser Scaup, Mallards, Ringnecked Ducks, Redheads, Canada and Snow
Geese, etc. Their almost white heads and lighter overall coloration really
made them stick out from the other birds on the lake. After staring at
these two birds for a while I finally figured them out. :-)
![](duck.jpg)
Bird #4:
These two geese first caught my eye because of their small size and odd
facial pattern. Also note the dark leg thigh feathers and dark
subterminal bands on their scapulars creating that scaled appearence. They
acted just like the rest of the wild Canada Geese and flew off with the
flock when the sun went down.
![](geese1.jpg)
Two Geese with a flock of Canadas in Pueblo City Park during the Pueblo Res. CBC (pictures from the day before).
![](geese2.jpg)
Closeup of one goose's face.
![](geese3.jpg)
One Goose approximately 3 ft. away from a larger Canada. Note how the black bib on the smaller goose is patterned more Barnacle-like than Canada-like, yet has the coloration of a Canada. The white mask also suggests a Barnacle Go
ose.
These two birds are almost surely hybrid Barnacle X Canada Geese.
Bird #3:
![](feha2.jpg)
This Buteo sp. was seen on E. Red Creek Rd. during the second week of
December, 1999. Do you know the species, morph and age of this bird?
Answer: Dark-morph Ferruginous Hawk.
Bird #2:
![](swha2.jpg)
This young buteo was seen on May 7th (International Migratory Bird Day)
around 7:00am at the corner of Quillen and Prairie in Pueblo (one block
from Goodnight and Prairie). The bird is very dark and has a very
noticable pale supercilium (at first glance I thought "Goshawk?" -- I
wish!) and is heavily streaked underneath. The one field mark that gives
this bird's identity away are those long wingtips that almost extend past
the tip of the tail.
I asked an acquaintance of mine from the Colorado Bird Observatory
about this bird and here's his reply:
"Before I even looked at the pix, I guessed the
species correctly. It is a first-year Swainson's (SWHA). At this time of
year, virtually every buteo that an experienced birder sees but can't
identify is a young SWHA. They're very variable in plumage and don't much
look like adult SWHA. Your bird looks like a darker bird, probably a
rufousy type. The strong streaking underneath rule out all other CO
buteos except for Broad-wing and Red-shoulder (and young rufous morph
Red-tail). You can just see one of the wingtips protruding beyond the
tail tip, which is a really good clue that it's a SWHA. These really
long wings rule out Red-tail and Red-shoulder and probably Broad-winged.
But, the latter would never be so heavily streaked underneath."
Bird #1:
![](mysterysp.jpg)
This is a sparrow I found out in the prairie (Baculite Mesa Rd.) perched
on some brush. The photo was taken in the afternoon in the early summer so
this is an adult bird (it was to early for nestlings to be out). I'd love
to hear what you think!
Van Truan Wrote: "It looks like a Cassin's Sparrow to me. Long
tail, rounded head, yellowish bend of wing, but I'm really not
sure."
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All Photos (C) 1999 Paul Hurtado
(Please let me know if you use them.)