Better Birding: Tips, Tools, and Concepts for the Field

321 Pages·2015·278.647 MB·English

by  Armistead, George L;Sullivan, Brian L

Better Birding

Better Birding
Tips, Tools, and Concepts for the Field
George L. Armistead
and
Brian L. Sullivan
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
PRINCETON AND OXFORD
Copyright © 2016 by Princeton University Press
Published by Princeton University Press, 41 William Street, Princeton, New Jersey 08540
In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press, 6 Oxford Street, Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1TW
nathist.princeton.edu
All Rights Reserved
ISBN (pbk.) 978- 0- 691- 12966- 2
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Armistead, George L.
Better birding : tips, tools, and concepts for the field / George L. Armistead & Brian L. Sullivan.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-691-12966-2 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Birds—United States—Identification. 2. Birds—Canada—
Identification. I. Sullivan, Brian L. II. Title.
QL682.A76 2015
598—dc23
2015012196
British Library Cataloging- in- Publication Data is available
This book has been composed in Minion Pro and Myriad Pro
Printed on acid- free paper. ∞
Printed in China
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For Dad,
Thanks, Pops
— GLA
To Sophie and Ella,
For helping me see the big picture
— BLS

Contents
Acknowledgments 8
Introduction 10
Wide- Angle Birding: Be the Bird, See the Bird 11
Becoming a “Good Birder”: Understanding the Basics 12
Birding Mentors 26
Why Birding Is Cool 26
Waterbirds
Loons 29
Swans 45
Mallard and Monochromatic “Mallards” 57
White Herons 69
Coastal Birds
Eiders 83
Brachyramphus Murrelets 93
Pacific Cormorants 103
Seabirds
Sulids: Northern Gannet and Boobies 115
Tropical Terns 129
Atlantic Gadflies 137
Large Shorebirds
Curlews 149
Godwits 161
Skulkers
Marsh Sparrows 175
Small Wrens (Troglodytes and Cistothorus) 187
Birds of Forest and Edge
Accipiters 199
American Rosefinches 211
Aerial Insectivores
Swifts 221
Night Birds
Screech- Owls: An “Otus” and the Megascops 231
Nighthawks 241
Open- Country Birds
Yellow- bellied Kingbirds 253
Black Corvids: Crows and Ravens 265
Pipits 281
Longspurs 293
Cowbirds 303
Index 312
8
Acknowledgments
We received tremendous assistance and support over (MJ), Alvaro Jaramillo (AJa), Ashley Jensen (AJe), Andy
the course of this project. First and foremost we wish Johnson (AJ), Tom Johnson (TJ), Kevin Karlson (KK),
to thank our publisher, Princeton University Press, and Marcin Kojtka (MK), Stephen Kolbe (SK), Paul Kusmin
in particular Robert Kirk, for bearing with the growing (PK), Iain H. Leach (IHL), Tony Leukering (TL), Jerry
pains of two evolving authors. Liguori (JL), Kevin Lin (KL), Aaron Maizlish (AM),
A turning point in this project came after Edward S. Larry Manfredi (LM), Curtis Marantz (CM), Jimmy
“Ned” Brinkley reviewed the manuscript and refocused McMorran (JM), Edwin Mercado (EM), Ryan Merrill
our efforts. Without Ned’s input we may not have (RM), Martin Meyers (MM), Steve Mlodinow (SM),
succeeded in bringing the writing and organizing of this Brennan Mulrooney (BM), Michael O’Brien (MOB),
book to an agreeable finish. Ned has served in the multiple Ryan O’Donnell (RO), Greg Page (GP), Ilya Povalyaev
roles of friend, colleague, mentor, and editor as nimbly as (IP), Jeff Ritz (JR), Raybel Robles (RR), Kerry Ross (KR),
anyone possibly could. Likewise, Steve Howell provided Cameron Rutt (CR), Michaela Sagatova (MSa), Ryan
invaluable advice on the direction of the early manuscript, Sanderson (RSa), Larry Sansone (LS), Ed Schneider
steering us toward what you see here today. (ES), Peter Schoenberger (PS), Scott Schuette (SS),
We are indebted to many friends and colleagues Ryan Shaw (RS), Tania Simpson (TS), Ken Slade (KS),
who provided input and editing on various parts of the Chris Sloan (CS), Brian Small (BS), Daniel Smith (DS),
book. We wish to thank in particular Alvaro Jaramillo, Graham Smith (GS), Jan Willem Steffelaar (JWS), Matt
Dan Lane, and Louis Bevier for reviewing significant Studebaker (MSt), Brian Sullivan (BLS), Mark Szantyr
portions of the manuscript. Also, Henry T. Armistead, (MS), Monte Taylor (MT), Tinyfishy (T), Jeremiah
Chris Benesh, Dr. Robert Curry, Jesse Fagan, Marshall Trimble (JT), John Turner (JTu), David Vander Pluym
J. Iliff, Tom Johnson, Paul E. Lehman, Steve Mlodinow, (DV), Gerrit Vyn (GV), Christopher L. Wood (CLW),
Michael O’Brien, Brian Patteson, Michael Retter, Teri Zambon (TZ).
Dr. Nate Rice, Fletcher Smith, and Richard Webster Any mistakes that remain in this volume are solely
reviewed parts of the manuscript, providing important the responsibility of the authors.
input and information.
For access to museum collections we thank Carla GLA: Thanks are due to Matthew F. Sharp, who once
Cicero at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at whimsically suggested, “I know a book you should do.”
Berkeley, Maureen Flannery at the California Academy My colleagues at the Academy of Natural Sciences of
of Sciences, and Paul Sweet at the American Museum Philadelphia (ANSP), particularly from 1995 to 2002,
of Natural History. including Matthew F. Sharp, Doug Wechsler (VIREO:
Thanks also to our photographers, who contributed Visual Resources for Ornithology), Dr. Nate Rice,
hundreds of images to the book. They are: Mike Andersen Robert S. Ridgely, Bill Mathews, and Dr. Frank Gill,
(MA), George Armistead (GLA), Danny Bales (DB), all helped provide a foundation for my study of birds,
Glenn Bartley (GB), Daniel Behm (DBe), Louis Bevier particularly in framing my understanding of biodiversity
(LB), Gerard W. Beyersbergen (GBe), Shawn Billerman and taxonomy. Delaware Valley Ornithological Club
(SB), Tom Blackman (TB), Dan Casey (DC), Oleg meetings held at ANSP (now the Academy of Natural
Chernyshov (OC), Ashley Cohen (AC), Robin Corcoran Sciences of Drexel University) cemented what I learned
(RC), Jan Crites (JC), Mike Danzenbaker (MD), Ian in the Ornithology Department.
Davies (ID), David Dillon (DD), Laura Erickson (LE), It was my work as a guide at Field Guides, Inc. (2002–
Sam Fason (SF), Sam Galick (SG), Alan Garner (AGa), 2012) that crystallized for me the way to approach
Reinhard Geisler (RG), Brian Gibbons (BG), Doug writing this book. Particular thanks are owed to Jan
Gochfeld (DG), António A. Gonçalves (AAG), Jamie Pierson and Peggy Watson, who taught me much about
Goodspeed (JG), Michael Gray (MG), António Guerra how to best help other birders. And while guiding tours
(AG), Nic Hallam (NH), Larry Hancock (LH), Ned for Field Guides I spent a lot of time picking the brains
Harris (NHa), Randy Harrod (RH), Hugh Harrop (HH), of hundreds of tour participants, and especially those of
David Hollie (DH), Steve N. G. Howell (SNGH), Bill my coguides: Chris Benesh, John Coons, Megan Crewe,
Hubick (BH), Alex Hughes (AHu), K. K. Hui (KKH), Jesse Fagan, Phil Gregory, Alvaro Jaramillo, Dan Lane,
Adam Hutchins (AH), Dave Irving (DI), Melissa James John Rowlett, Rose Ann Rowlett, Dave Stejskal, Terry
acknowledgments 9
Stevenson, Jay Vandergaast, Richard Webster, and Ken L. Sullivan; and brother, Ken C. Sullivan, endured
Bret Whitney. The office staff there, including Maggie many windswept days on Hawk Mountain with me,
Burnett, Sharon Mackie, Teresa Paschall, and Karen shivering as a procession of Red-t ailed Hawks drifted
Turner, also influenced my approach. My experiences past. I was captivated; they were freezing. But they had
at Field Guides had a direct impact on my approach to the foresight to see a growing passion. Without the
this project. patience and support of my parents I would never have
Brian Patteson (Seabirding Pelagic Trips) and Ned discovered my true course in life. And without the love
Brinkley have taught me a tremendous amount about and warmth of my wife and daughter, I wouldn’t realize
my favorite habitat, the ocean. The honor of serving as why any of this matters. Thanks, Sophie and Ella, for
a guide on so many of Brian’s pelagic trips gave me the helping me see the big picture.
opportunity to familiarize myself with many species So many birders have impacted the way I think
I would not have encountered elsewhere and allowed about birds and perceive nature that to single any one
me to develop my skills as a guide.
person out would be a discredit to the rest. Though
My work on this book has benefited greatly from
they are too many to name, I’ve learned from everyone
conversations and communications with Alvaro
I’ve worked with over many years in the field, and
Jaramillo, Louis R. Bevier, Ned Brinkley, Marshall
most recently at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. My
J. Iliff, Brian Patteson, Jeff Gordon, Paul Lehman,
colleagues there, especially Chris Wood, Marshall Iliff,
Chris Benesh, Steve N. G. Howell, Kate Sutherland,
Jessie Barry, Andrew Farnsworth, Steve Kelling, John
Ted Floyd, Matthew F. Sharp, Todd M. Day, Todd
Fitzpatrick, Tim Lenz, Will Morris, and Jeff Gerbracht,
Fellenbaum, Tony Leukering, Nikolas Haas, Dan Lane,
have shown me what it means to have a true passion for
and Henry T. Armistead.
birds, and I try to do my best to reach the high bar they
Thanks are due my colleagues at the American Birding
and everyone at the Lab constantly nudges upward.
Association, particularly Jeff Gordon, Bill Stewart,
I’ve learned a great deal from working with a small
Liz Gordon, Ted Floyd, Greg Neise, Michael Retter,
team of coauthors on another project: The Princeton
John Puschock, and Nate Swick, for our thoughtful
Guide to North American Birds. This team of writers,
discussions about birds and how to better serve birders.
including Steve N. G. Howell, Michael O’Brien, Chris
Special thanks are owed to my family, all of whom
Wood, Ian Lewington, and Robert Kirk, has taught me
have supported me, and without whom it is doubtful
to strive for excellence in observation, research, and
I’d have had the perseverance to complete my part in
writing.
this project. Heartfelt thanks go to my mother, Mary
Over the years, Jerry Liguori has been an excellent
E. Armistead, and my sisters and their husbands, Anne
friend, mentor, and collaborator, teaching me how to
and Derek Ayres and Mary and Michael Solomonov.
look at hawks from a different angle, and constantly
Most of all I wish to thank my father, Henry T.
pushing the limits in the domain of raptor identification.
Armistead. Pops, I can’t thank you enough. I had
no idea that the family trip you organized for us to George and I met one blustery winter day twenty
Churchill, Manitoba, in 1984 would so alter the course years ago at Barnegat Inlet in New Jersey. We became
of my life. Birds have proven fascinating to me. good friends and over the coming years spent much
Of course more than anyone, I owe coauthor Brian time birding together. We frequently talked about
Sullivan a massive debt of gratitude and appreciation. the idea of helping people become better birders,
Coauthorship tested our friendship, more than either and George took that on as a full- time job in his
of us could have expected. We navigated sensitive tour- leading profession. I went in another direction,
territory extremely well. I’m proud of that, and of toward fieldwork and then toward eBird. But we
having had the honor to work with Brian on this circled back to the idea and conceived of this book.
project. It’s been a long and fantastic journey. It wasn’t easy. The idea took time to really form
itself, and over the years we’ve pushed this project in
BLS: I’ve been lucky to have the support of family and many directions. We are proud of the outcome, and
a host of birding mentors over the years. To my family I’m proud to have a friendship with George that can
I am greatly in debt. My mom, Joyce Sullivan; dad, persevere through good times and bad.