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Photo Quiz 5 Did you get it right? See the names of correct responders, below... |
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| Photo Quiz #5. |
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This one was tough! Only 28 people ventured a guess, and only half were correct. Last month we had 43 correct guesses on the Chat. Most people easily decided is was one of the chicken-like birds. The stout body, short square tail, medium long neck, and small head were the shape clues. Shape is very important when identifying birds. It is more important than color to get you to the right family of birds. That is especially true with this bird. It has dark and light camouflage. The entire bird is barred grayish-brown and off-white. Many people guessed one of the "Blue" Grouse group, recently split into Sooty (west) and umm, the other one. Man, I'm never going to remember these names! Oh, yes, the Dusky Grouse is the interior form. That's all well and good, except that this bird isn't either one! Both Blue Grouse would show a more solid brown, not so white and brown barred. Blue Grouse would show a more solid dark tail. This bird is too gray to be Ruffed Grouse, Gray Partridge, Bobwhite, or Chukar. It doesn't have the gray rump and tail of either NW Quail. Pheasant, Sage Grouse, and Sharp-tailed Grouse have pointed tails. It's not a Turkey! What is it? Well, there is one more Pacific Northwest chicken. And the habitat of the photo gives it away. Those bare rocks covered in lichens and heather ("red false-heather" according to respondent Lars Norgren) mean that this is a montane species. It does not live in the grasslands or woodlands. This White-tailed Ptarmigan was photographed by Khanh Tran in the Northern Cascades near Mt. Baker, Washington. Khanh said there were four young birds with this hen. For those who wonder, the white outer tail feathers are hidden in this view. They would be obvious in flight or if the tail is fanned.
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Guesses: Correct responses, in order received:
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