To identify birds successfully, many aspects are helpful to be in your awareness. In the front of Peterson’s Field Guide to Birds of Western North America 4th Edition, there is a section of excellent questions to consider with illustrations. For example, “What is its shape?” Peterson has two illustrations side by side and asks, “Is it plump like a starling (left) or slender like a cuckoo (right)?”
To cap off the end of the book, Peterson included three panels of illustrations of the silhouettes of birds—shore, flight, and roadside. This is an important reference when determining what bird you’re watching because the lighting isn’t always ideal. Can you guess the ones in the photos?
When it came to identifying birds in the field, Roger Tory Peterson was an expert and created an invaluable guide to help us learn and enjoy our time birding. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication!
