Utah Birds
Photo Quiz Answer
  

  
      Quiz # 006  (November 2010)
  

  
  

 

  
Comments
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This quiz was an easy one – our average definitely went up from the tough one last month. Basically our photo shows an all gray bird. There are only a few to choose from in Utah. Besides being gray our bird shows some white tips to the wing feathers, it has a bit darker gray or blackish cap (if we could see the whole head it is actually only the nape), and white-tipped tail feathers. These are all characteristic of the Gray Jay and should eliminate the other gray birds we have in Utah. Townsend’s Solitaire and Dark-eyed Junco would both show white outer tail feathers, but not white tipped on all tail feathers like this bird. A Juniper Titmouse would appear grayer without any white on the tail or the edges of the wing feathers, plus would be smaller relative to the pine needles.
This bird is the Gray Jay found in the southern Rocky Mtns including Utah. (subspecies capitalis). Compared with other Gray Jays it is lighter gray and has a bit more white on the tail.
     

 

  
Correct Answers (in order received):
  1. Bill Fenimore
  2. Sylvia Gray
  3. Hillary White
  4. Steve Carr
  5. Ryan O’Donnell
  6. Eric Huish
  7. Jeffery Saffle
  8. Jason St Sauver
  9. Rick Roberts
10. Dave Hanscom
11. Bryant Olsen
12. Anne Peyton
13. Melanie Hoffman
14. Stephen Peterson
15. Matt Schamberger
16. KC Childs
17. Glenn Barlow
18. Cliff Weisse
19. Weston Smith
20. Martha Happ
21. Oliver Hansen
22. Dennis Shirley
23. Jeff Cooper
24. Matt Mills
25. Jeff Bogan
26. Aaron Searle
27. Daniel Trujillo

Incorrect Answers:
     Dark-eyed Junco - 2
     Townsend’s Solitaire - 1
     Juniper Titmouse - 1
     Cooper’s Hawk - 1