Week Four - Waders, Game Birds, and Rails Flashcards
Northern Bobwhite - Odontophoridae
Female is duller, tanner on the face, whereas the male has a clean white face.
They used to be super common, but are relatively rare now.
“bob-WHITE!” Very whistly, cute, and chicken-like clucks.
(A)
Ring-necked Pheasant - Phasianidae
A game species from Asia that breed in a harem protected by a male.
Male have a super bright head, white ring, and long tail feathers.
Female has a white half moon around her eye.
High-pitched rusty clucking.
(A), (B)
Ruffed Grouse - Phasianidae
2 color morphs, a bright rusty brown and a grey.
They have a dark band around the tail and puff up during the breeding season.
They drum with wingbeats and have weird “cat-like complaining” clucks and whines.
American Bittern
Vertical stripes all along the neck. White bar from lore to eye and brown mottling on the back.
Will sit with bill straight up and waver for camoflauge.
Sounds like plumbing, with weird watery noises and froggy croaks.
(S)
Least Bittern
Smaller than american, with huge feet to grip reeds and hunt!
Needs high quality wetlands.
A white throat with light tan, vertical stripes. A dark head with a chestnut color on the nape and white feather tufts on either shoulder.
Great Blue Heron
Nest communally in a rookery.
Grey body and looong legs.
Sounds like how dinosaurs do.
Green Heron
Dark chestnut throat with white vertical stripes.
A long dark bill with a dark cap.
Neck extends like crazy!
Black-crowned Night Heron
Distinct due to a clear white belly and big feet on shorter legs.
Bright red eye with a dark bill.
Virginia Rail
Wide feet, grey face and red eye, bright orange bill and legs.
A rusty belly and mottled nape & back.
Has a fast-paced, distinct call, like an alarm, and rusty chucking, like two pebbled rubbing together.
Sora
Chicken-like bright yellow bill, prominent zebra striping, and black lore & crown.
Says its own name. ‘sor…A! sor…A!” and a pebble sound, with water, descending trills like mini horse neighs.
Common Gallinule
Kinda looks like a coot but with a bright read shield on it’s head and a yellow beaktip.
Has white outer tail feathers.
