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ABA Photo Quiz

ABA Online Bird Photo Quiz 84

Answer

Bird Photo
[+] Click Image for Larger Version

One of the facets of running this photo quiz that I most enjoy is the one (at least) outlandish species provided as someone's answer each month. Taking that answer into account this time, I will start down the solution road by pointing out various aspects that our quiz bird does not exhibit: very long legs extending well beyond tail; very long neck extending out in flight; long, narrow wings; thick, large, and oddly-shaped bill; and overall pink plumage.

What we do have this time is a bird with wide and quite rounded wings; dark wing linings; wide, white tips to the secondaries (and a smaller tip to the innermost primary); a longish tail with the outer pair of rectrices being dark-based and with large white tips to the outer few pairs of rectrices; a black necklace; and otherwise whitish underparts. There just aren't that many species sporting any three or four of these features, much less all six of them. Gray Jay doesn't sport nearly so much white in the tail and just about lacks white in the wings. Clark's Nutcracker's outer pairs of tail feathers and all of its secondaries are entirely white, not dark-based and white-tipped. Additionally, both of these other corvids lack our bird's black necklace. Finally, all wagtail species of ABA-area occurrence are long-distance migrants, hence they have long, narrow, and pointed wings and also lack dark-based outer rectrices.

I took this picture of a Blue Jay (probably an adult) as if flew over the hawkwatch platform at Cape May Point S.P., Cape May Co., NJ, on 6 October 2009 on a day of obvious Blue Jay migration. This quiz was the last of this six-month competition and, as is evident from reading the below, didn't cause much in the way of consternation for respondents. Perhaps, I'll start the next competition off with more consternation.

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The following people (listed by submission date beginning with the earliest) submitted correct answers for the March Bird Photo Quiz—Blue Jay:

  1. Jim Flynn, Seattle, WA
  2. Mark Rosenstein, Cambridge, MA
  3. Lance Verderame, Livingston Manor, New York
  4. Patty McKelvey, Sheffield Village, OH
  5. Daroczi J. Szilard, Tg.-Mures, Romania
  6. Max Wilson, Kensington, MD
  7. Jeremy Kimm, Victoria, BC
  8. Stephen Joly, Kamloops, BC
  9. Pam Myers, Santa Cruz, CA
  10. Michael S. Levy, Centereach, N.Y.
  11. Philip Kline, Tucson, AZ
  12. Aaron Bilyeu, Placerville, CA
  13. John Brett, Toronto, ON
  14. Greg Schrott, Sebring, FL
  15. Steve Arlow, Rochford, Essex, England
  16. Andrew Fayer, Fort Washington, PA
  17. Joseph Lautenbach, Grand Rapids, MI
  18. Blake Mathys, Williamstown, NJ
  19. Matthew Caligiure, Philadelphia, PA
  20. William Jones, Shropshire, England
  21. Geoff Parks, Gainesville, FL
  22. David Hollie, Ringgold, GA
  23. Spencer Hardy, Norwich, VT
  24. John Hammond, Durham, North Carolina
  25. Jonathan Lautenbach, Grand Rapids, MI
  26. Ali Iyoob, Raleigh, NC
  27. Joshua LaCelle, Camden, NY
  28. Matt Daw, Raleigh, NC
  29. Sarah Belknap, Los Angeles, CA
  30. Kevin Jacobson, Hamilton, GA
  31. Jonah Joffe, Wynnewood, PA
  32. Wil Domke, Miami, FL
  33. Eric Antonio Martinez, Oaxaca, Mexico
  34. Larry Kline, Fredericksburg, VA
  35. Dan Walker, Carrizo Springs, Texas
  36. Josh Southern, Raleigh, NC
  37. Rich Swartzentruber, Salem, Oregon
  38. Lauren Bryde, East Northport, NY
  39. Karl Erich Mayer, Saint Clair Shores, Michigan
  40. Sam Burckhardt, Chicago, IL
  41. Jon Atwood, Keene, NH
  42. Sam Collins, Vancouver, BC
  43. Daniel Hueholt, Wilmington, NC
  44. Brandon Percival, Pueblo West, CO
  45. Kevin Kerr, Guelph, ON
  46. Gyekeny Gertrud, Targu Mures, Romania
  47. Georgia Conti, Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico
  48. Terri Everett, Big Rapids, MI
  49. Dwight Porter, Portland, OR
  50. Jacob Drucker, New York, NY
  51. Ben Kolstad, Boca Raton, FL
  52. Nathan Swick, Chapel Hill, NC
  53. Chris Warren, San Marcos, TX
  54. John Habig, Carlisle, OH
  55. Dean Nicholson, Cranbrook, B.C.
  56. Greg Swick, Ozark, MO
  57. Joyce Fraser, Kelowna
  58. Brian Uher-Koch, Juneau, Alaska
  59. Joel Mundall, Loma Linda, CA
  60. John Oliver, Arcata, CA
  61. Valerie J. Harris, Cranbrook, B.C.
  62. Mark Cranford, Mississauga, ON
  63. Wayne Meyer, Denison, TX
  64. Joel Such, CO
  65. Jim Mountjoy, Galesburg, IL
  66. David Bell, Sault Ste. Marie, ON
  67. Justin Jones, Glendale, AZ
  68. Steve Hampton, Davis, CA
  69. Rob Lane, Charleston, SC
  70. Claire Miller, Fair Oaks, CA
  71. JoAnne Russo, Saxtons River, VT
  72. Sharon Paige, Sequim WA
  73. Taj Schottland, Bar Harbor, Maine
  74. Don Pendleton, Redwood City, CA
  75. Ana Komro, WI
  76. Jimmy Warren, Schwenksville, PA
  77. Thomas Hopkins, Saint Petersburg, Florida
  78. Ann Gibson, Winfield, British Columbia
  79. Nicole MacPherson, Winnipeg, Manitoba
  80. Sandy Schlechter, Sequim, Washington
  81. George F. Cresswell, Colorado Springs
  82. Pete Fenner, East Peoria, IL
  83. Evan Houston, Seattle, WA
  84. Susan Hill, Velva, North Dakota
  85. John Shamgochian, East Providence, RI
  86. Gary W. Potter, Sanger, CA
  87. Janneke Kimstra, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
  88. Traci Van Tine, Otter Lake, MI
  89. Carl Bendorf, Arlinton Heights IL
  90. Jacob Cooper, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  91. Eric Sibbald, Upper Saddle River, NJ
  92. Barb Robertson, Ottawa, On., Canada
  93. Corey Husic, Kunkletown, PA
  94. Benjamin Van Doren, White Plains, NY
  95. Hope Batcheller, Petersburgh, NY
  96. Elaine MacPherson, Sierra Madre CA
  97. Richard Laughlin, Spring, TX
  98. Michael Boyd, Collegedale, TN
  99. Alan Gage, Estherville, IA
  100. Claude Auchu, La Pocatière, Québec
  101. Michael Lester, Haworth, NJ
  102. Adam Betuel, Terre Haute, IN
  103. Paul O'Toole, Kingston, Ontario Canada
  104. Karen Rubinstein, New York, NY
  105. Ross Schaefer, Atascadero, CA
  106. Andre Moncrieff, Berrien Springs, MI
  107. Kiley Pignataro, Centreville, MD
  108. Dave Slager-Ruserius, Columbus, Ohio
  109. Teresa, Tulsa,Oklahoma
  110. Dave Tietjen, Huntsville, AL
  111. Bob Lockett, Robins Bay, St. Mary, Jamaica
  112. Victoria Runnoe, Boise, Idaho
  113. Morgan Anderson, Decherd,TN
  114. Rudyard Wallen, San Francisco, CA
  115. Jeffrey Tollefson, Wyandotte, MI
  116. Barb Duncan, Jefferson City, MO
  117. Hunter Hebenstreit, Braselton, GA
  118. Josh Obrecht, Ames, IA
  119. John Branchflower, Beaumont, CA
  120. Michael Cannon, Mount Prospect, IL
  121. Andrew Thornton, St. Augustine, FL
  122. Kimberley Greenly, Chester, Maryland
  123. Tom Benson, San Bernardino, CA
  124. Matt Bristol, Tallahassee, FL
  125. Nancy Hetrick, Albuquerque, NM
  126. Celestyn Brozek, Albuquerque, NM
  127. Sarah Jesup, Alexandria, VA
  128. Miriam Rognlie, Bozeman, MT
  129. Lisa Moore, Seattle, WA
  130. Pam Baum, Tucson, AZ
  131. Wes Serafin, Orland Pk,Il 60462
  132. John Kuenzli, Columbus, OH
  133. Jim Hutton, Boise, ID
  134. Logan Kahle, San Francisco, CA
  135. Diego Johnson, Henderson, NV
  136. Corey Callaghan, Middleport, NY
  137. David Scott, Grayslake, IL
  138. Margie Bennett, East Noerthport, NY
  139. tom graham, seabrook nh
  140. Larry Therrien, Belchertown, MA
  141. joe, malta
  142. Maia Paddock, Carlisle, PA
  143. Duane Troyer, Leesburg, ohio
  144. Andrew Keaveney, Toronto, Ontario
  145. Peter Scully, South Royalton, Vt.
  146. Jason McGuire, London, ON
  147. Joanna Hubbard, Anchorage, Alaska
  148. Galen Frank-Bishop, Plainfield MA,
  149. Nicole Vella-Geldart, Guelph, Ontario
  150. Laure Wilson Neish, Penticton, BC Canada
  151. Su Snyder, Wooster, OH
  152. Jim Kopitzke, Mesa, AZ
  153. Thomas Snetsinger, Brownsville, OR
  154. Terry Grabill, Newaygo, MI
  155. Julie Hart, Laramie, WY
  156. Bob McDonald, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CANADA
  157. David Rosenbaum, Waco, TX
  158. Adam sell, Grayslake, IL
  159. Ruthie Stearns, Lincoln, NE
  160. Lucie Bruce, Houston, TX
  161. Nels F. Thompson, Owatonna, MN
  162. Stephen Chang, New York, NY
  163. Ginny Jeffryes, Franconia, NH
  164. Jeff Hole, Orlando, Florida
  165. Tristan Weinbrenner, McPherson, KS
  166. Linda Fink, Grand Ronde, OR
  167. Justin Bosler, Lancaster, PA
  168. Thomas Hall, Livermore, CO
  169. Greg Zupansic, Eugene, Oregon
  170. Linda McElvany, Williston, VT
  171. Jackie Edds, baton rouge, la
  172. Shaun Hicks, morrisville, pennsylvania
  173. Liis Veelma, Winnipeg MB
  174. Dave Worthington, Toronto, Ontario
  175. Cinda Crosley, Pflugerville, TX
  176. Larry Neily, Ottawa, ON
  177. Matthew Williams, Midvale, UT
  178. mary whitley, whitehorse, yukon
  179. Colin R Gjervold, Tampa, FL
  180. Steve Shultz, Raleigh, NC
  181. Michelle Corton, Irving, TX
  182. Michael Schilke, Winnipeg, MB R2K 4L1 Canada
  183. Robert Doster, Chico, CA
  184. Cindy Marino, Rochester, NY
  185. Philip Holden, Colorado Springs, CO
  186. Dan Vice, Barrigada, Guam
  187. Claude Girard, ST-Michel, Quebec
  188. Jennifer Day, Woodridge, IL
  189. Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA
  190. Stephanie Moore, Seattle, WA
  191. Amy Drew, Valdosta, GA
  192. Felicia, Canada
  193. Whitney Gayle, New Haven, CT
  194. Margaret, Boulder, CO
  195. Michael Palermo, Canandaigua, NY
  196. Margie Bennett, East Northport, New York
  197. Sandra Lautrup, Effingham, Il
  198. Mayn Hipp, Riverside, CT
  199. lisa frederick, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
  200. Cyanocitta cristata, Ann Arbor, MI
  201. Robert Packard, Riverside, CA
  202. Felipe Guerrero, Arlington, VA
  203. Paul Levesque, Vancouver, BC
  204. christine Rock, Vancouver, BC
  205. Eileen Davis, Lindenhurst, IL
  206. Adrien Stricklin, Murfreesboro, TN
  207. Lady Peregrines, Centreville,MD
  208. Benoit Dorion, Laval, Quebec, Canada
  209. Megan Rasmussen, Thunder Bay, ON
  210. Rich Stanton, Volcano, HI
  211. Myles Falconer, Murrilo, ON
  212. Admiral Ackbar, Mon Calamari
  213. Gail King, Brandon, FL
  214. Mark Slaughter, CA
  215. Jack, Green Bay, WI
  216. James W. Beck, Broussard, LA
  217. Jill Kaminski, Naples, FL
  218. Gerrad Jones, Reno, NV
  219. Willi Braun, Edmonton, Alberta
  220. Bob Proctor, Elgin, Scotland
  221. Grant McCreary, Cumming, GA
  222. Linda Swanson, San Francisco, CA
  223. Peter Girbert, Fishers, IN
  224. W.C. Sarles, Brownsburg, IN
  225. Mike Fialkovich, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  226. Andrea Green, Springdale AR
  227. Netanel Paley, Teaneck, NJ
  228. Jeff Bogan, Bethel Park, PA
  229. Richard Jeffers, Santa Clara, CA
  230. John Gluth, Brentwood, NY
  231. Shane DuBay, Albuquerque, NM
  232. James McKay, Mesa, AZ
  233. Harmony Coriddi, Marion, New York
  234. Tyler Maikath, Keene, NH
  235. Jukka Jantunen, Whitehorse, YT
  236. Todd Olver, Pennsylvania
  237. Daniel Barica, Santa Barbara, CA
  238. Ed Harper, Carmichael, CA
  239. Paul Glass, South Boston, VA
  240. Bradley Cernohorsky, Baltimore MD
  241. Brad Hammond, Davenport, Florida
  242. Caleb Frome, Richardson, TX
  243. Ron Pozzi, Granite Bay, CA
  244. Gary Koehn, Colorado Sprngs, Colorado
  245. Al Reyer, Bellevue, NE
  246. Eric Piñeiro, Titusville, FL
  247. Jerry Pasquarella, Greer, SC
  248. Aaron Boone, Plainfield, IL
  249. Kathy Vazquez, Bronx, NY
  250. Jess Carrero, Bronx, NY
  251. Karl Frank, Bellingham WA
  252. Matthew Schneider, Silverton, Oregon
  253. Bradford Graham, Castro Valley CA
  254. Anthony H. Bledsoe, Pittsburgh, PA
  255. Annie Meyer, Tacoma, WA
  256. Ryan Edmondson, Fishers
  257. John Carlson, Fort Peck, MT
  258. Garry McVeigh, Henderson, Nevada
  259. Deborah DeSalvo, Montclair, NJ
  260. Michael Thompson, Derry, NH
  261. Jen Brumfield, Akron, Ohio
  262. Eddie Mundall, Thompson Falls, MT
  263. Tim Snieder, Guelph, Ontario
  264. Brian Campbell, Ottawa, Ontario.
  265. nikolas kotovich, Vermont
  266. Susan Work, Encinitas, CA
  267. Alison Sheehey, Weldon, CA
  268. Mike Wasilco, Caledonia, NY
  269. Larry Harms, Redlands, CA

How Did You Compare?

As stated in the quiz rules, answers must consist simply of the Common or English name exactly as it appears in the ABA Checklist.

The following list shows the number of submissions for each species guessed.

Blue Jay
269
Gray Jay
2
American Flamingo
1
Black-backed Wagtail
1
Chukar
1
Clark's Nutcracker
1

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The photo and answer for this quiz were supplied by Tony Leukering.