Bird identification – Understanding bird behavior and ecology begins with being able to correctly identify birds to species. Because birds are active, colorful, and common in urban areas, there are extensive references to their identification (see syllabus). For this course, you will be required to be able to identify 60 common bird species by sight, and 30 of those by song or call. For species denoted with a ♪, you will be required to learn its vocalizations. By knowing the common species in the area, it will be much easier for you to identify more unusual species, as you will start with a solid knowledge of the expected species. Plus, you will be able to impress friends and relatives with your identification skills. There is lots of information on identification on the web, plus I will go over each species in lecture.

The quizzes will be spaced evenly throughout the semester, and will be cumulative. For each quiz we will introduce a new set of 12 species (in the order given below) and each quiz will include the species you have learned previously. This is important because many of the species in the first two groups are likely already familiar to you, at least by sight. So, as the semester goes on the quizzes get harder both because there are more species to learn and the new species are one with which you are less familiar. I will not ‘drop’ any quiz grades. Each quiz is worth 4% of your semester grade for a total of 20%. Names must be spelled correctly for full credit.

The species are ordered roughly in terms of how they will be observed during the semester. The birds in groups 1 and 2 can be seen now by taking a trip almost anywhere in the area. The birds in group 3 and 4 are the early spring migrants (or rare winter residents) and will begin to show up in Vermont in March and April. The birds in group 5 are primarily Neotropical migrants and won’t get here until the end of the semester. In fact some of them, like the Black-billed Cuckoo won’t get here until mid-May.

Quiz dates

28 January (F)    

11 February (F)

2 March (W)

25 March (F)

15 April (F)


Species to know for this class A description, photo, and sound file (when relevant) for each species you are required to recognize for this course

Practice Id Quizzes Id quizzes for practice