ABA Photo Quiz
with Tony Leukering
May 2021 Photo Quiz
While some of the poor aspect to this photo is the photographer’s inability to get the subject in sharp focus, much of it is due to the disheveled appearance of the bird. While we all like looking at crisp photos of birds in good nick (as Brits say), particularly of pleasingly attractive birds, not all birds can meet these criteria at all times.
Advanced Identification
Identification of North American Peeps
The peeps, common slang for the five smallest North American sandpipers, tend to create more identification headaches than the rest of the shorebirds put together.
Status & Distribution: the Most Under-used ID Feature
This feature is not something that is only just coming to light, nor is it related to the introduction of digital cameras, nor is it due to the internet—although the internet has enabled a more thorough understanding of it. This incredible identification feature is temporal likelihood, aka time of year.
Soft Spot
“Soft parts” is the term given to the parts of a bird not covered by feathers, although some of these parts are not particularly “soft.”