Thursday, October 4, 2007

One of These Things

Remember that old Sesame Street song "One of these things is not like the other. One of these things just doesn't belong..."?

Well, here's a bird quiz along those lines.

Following are three bird images taken at Lago El Dorado in north-central Peru. Two of the birds are the same species. One is a different species. All three birds were photographed in the same small area within minutes of each other.

Can YOU tell which one of these things just doesn't belong?

Put your guesses in the comments section of this post. Bonus points if you can ID the species. Answers in tomorrow's post.


Good luck!
at

10 comments:

  1. HeronOctober 4, 2007 at 11:42 PM

    OK, throwing caution to the wind, I think the birds in photos 1 and 3 are the same species, 3 is an adult and 1 is a juvenile, are they herons ? I think the bird in photo 2 is the odd bird and may be an egret. As to species ID, I'm clueless. Good quiz.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousOctober 4, 2007 at 11:46 PM

    1 and 3 are both Rufescent Tiger Heron's. 2 is a (rather spectacular looking) Capped Heron.

    Phil Chaon

    ReplyDelete
  3. JayneOctober 5, 2007 at 6:43 AM

    Uh... what the above smart people said. ;c)

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousOctober 5, 2007 at 6:49 AM

    1. Rufescent Tiger Heron (juvenile)
    2. Capped Heron (adult)
    3. Rufescent Tiger Heron (adult)

    Ethan Kistler

    ReplyDelete
  5. dguzmanOctober 5, 2007 at 9:05 AM

    Like Jayne said--I second what the smart worldly birders said. Nice photos and beautiful birds.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Bill of the BirdsOctober 5, 2007 at 1:12 PM

    You are ALL right! Some of you (Phil, Ethan) are more specifically right, but EVERYBODY is a WINNER!

    Tell them what they've won,, Tony....



    Thanks for playing!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Bill of the BirdsOctober 5, 2007 at 1:14 PM

    Isn't it cool to see the difference between the juvenal and adult plumages of the rufescent tiger-heron?

    I wonder why only some of our herons and egrets have this very obvious visual disparity between young and adult birds?

    ReplyDelete
  8. MaryOctober 5, 2007 at 3:03 PM

    Ooops. I missed this quiz but I would have bombed anyway.

    ReplyDelete
  9. BirdfreakOctober 5, 2007 at 5:39 PM

    I am constantly amazed by the uniqueness of birds even within the same species!

    Cool quiz.

    ReplyDelete
  10. KatDocOctober 6, 2007 at 7:36 PM

    Some kind of a heron. Number 1 is the juvenile of number 3. I think they are the Tiger Herons you put in the other post. #3 looks like our Green Heron to me.

    Guessing #2 is a type of Night Heron?

    ~Kathi, who didn't look at anybody else's comments or the answer before guessing

    PS: Phil and Ethan are so smart! (having read on)

    ReplyDelete