June 5, 2023
After scrolling through these bird photos over the past few days, I think the theme here is “similar at first glance.” Biodiversity and plumage variations are celebrated in birdwatching, and to me, subtle differences in feather patterns are one of life’s greatest wonders.
Western Meadowlarks and Savannah Sparrows are both buffy with yellow markings, but the sparrow has only a small yellow stripe above his eye while the meadowlark’s entire frontside is yellow. They’re also different in size and shape. Check out the meaty legs on that meadowlark!
The three Red-winged Blackbird photos above are all of the same individual. I couldn’t choose a favorite.
He looks similar to the male Brewer’s Blackbird below, but the Brewer’s Blackbird has light eyes, a thinner beak, and a purple sheen that the Red-winged Blackbird lacks.
Female Brewer’s Blackbirds have the same silhouette as their male counterparts but are much more subdued in color.
The Tree Swallow photo above was taken in Ohio a couple of months before the rest of these. I did see a few at this location though, so I’m not fully cheating.
I wanted to include a Tree Swallow because it offers a nice comparison for the Eastern Kingbird. Both species are dark above and white below, but their beak, wing, and overall body shapes are distinctive.
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Gone Birdin' 