Latest Quiz Results of July 5

Wow! Another fun quiz, and many more responders this time. Click here to see original test. I am glad to see so many people are enjoying these tests of birding identifications. The photo is a Lesser Scaup. For those that might have considered the Greater Scaup, I apologize for not saying that this bird was photographed here in San Angelo, Texas. This area is far out of range for the Greater, although it has made a rare appearance in the past.

There were a total of 116 votes cast. Lesser Scaup 67; Common Golden-eye 40; Ring-necked Duck; 8; Redhead 1. One person, at least, thought it was a Greater Scaup. Perhaps I should have listed it as an option. It certainly would have made for some great discussion.

Judy of Flights of Wonder, said it best in her comment, and I hope she doesn’t mind me using it. Here is what she said:

“Hi, Bob. Ring-Necks have a blue bill with black tip and a little white ring around the black tip; plus a little white ‘stripe’ between the black chest and the greyish sides. Lesser Scaups have the black chest and black rear end with whitish/greyish back and belly, along with a ‘peaked’ appearance to the head, which has a purple irridescense. This guy’s a Lesser Scaup. (Greater Scaups tend to have a head with a greenish irridescense – though the lighting can play tricks with that one – and their bellies are more whitish than grayish. I worked on these guys a long time this past winter!!”

Now for the birds that it wasn’t.