Although some quiz takers will nail the quiz bird’s ID quickly, for others, this might be a frog-strangler (hats off to the long-time Cincinnati Reds’ color commentator, Joe Nuxhall, who holds a Major League Baseball record that will almost certainly never be beaten).

While the photo does an excellent job of not giving a clear view of the head or wings – both features that typically play a significant role in identification in this family, what the photo does show provides enough for certain identification, so have at it.

 

Photos and answers are supplied by Tony Leukering, a field ornithologist based in southeast Dodge City, KS, with strong interests in bird migration, distribution, and identification. He has worked for five different bird observatories from coast to coast and considers himself particularly adept at taking quiz photos (that is, bad pictures!). Leukering is a member of the Colorado Bird Records Committee and had been a reviewer for eBird since its inception. He is also interested in most everything else that flies, particularly moths and odonates.