Comments on: Photo Quiz 6: Where Am I? Edition http://www.birds.cornell.edu/roundrobin/2010/01/22/photo-quiz-6-where-am-i-edition/ The Cornell Blog of Ornithology Wed, 15 May 2013 22:36:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Carlos http://www.birds.cornell.edu/roundrobin/2010/01/22/photo-quiz-6-where-am-i-edition/#comment-1184 Carlos Sat, 30 Jan 2010 14:33:08 +0000 http://birdsredesign.wordpress.com/?p=1215#comment-1184 It is a Caracara, somewhere in Arizona or Sonora desert. It is a Caracara, somewhere in Arizona or Sonora desert.

]]> By: Liz Hornbreaker http://www.birds.cornell.edu/roundrobin/2010/01/22/photo-quiz-6-where-am-i-edition/#comment-1183 Liz Hornbreaker Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:47:13 +0000 http://birdsredesign.wordpress.com/?p=1215#comment-1183 I don't know about the cactus (or the location), but it's definitely a Crested Caracara. I recognize it through the combination of dark crest and white neck, and the heavy bill plus the sense that something is "weird" about the face. The facial skin changes color, but at a glance you can tell that there's something unusual about the coloring on the bird's head. I spotted a caracara as a beginning birder while driving on the highway in south Texas, and these impressions helped me instantly identify it as "that weird raptor from my Sibley's guide." I don’t know about the cactus (or the location), but it’s definitely a Crested Caracara. I recognize it through the combination of dark crest and white neck, and the heavy bill plus the sense that something is “weird” about the face. The facial skin changes color, but at a glance you can tell that there’s something unusual about the coloring on the bird’s head.

I spotted a caracara as a beginning birder while driving on the highway in south Texas, and these impressions helped me instantly identify it as “that weird raptor from my Sibley’s guide.”

]]> By: Lorna Smith http://www.birds.cornell.edu/roundrobin/2010/01/22/photo-quiz-6-where-am-i-edition/#comment-1182 Lorna Smith Sat, 23 Jan 2010 20:41:41 +0000 http://birdsredesign.wordpress.com/?p=1215#comment-1182 Carara ID is fairly easy. We have both Crested and Yello-headed occurring in overlapping ranges in Costa Rica. The Crested has the large black cap, flatish head, strongly contrasting body colors, large beak. Perches upright. Cardon cactuses grow with upright arms that grow very long/tall. Much larger than their northern cousins the Suguaro. We live directly above the Tarcoles River in Costa Rica where both species occur. We have also spent many months traveling through Baja, Mexico! Carara ID is fairly easy. We have both Crested and Yello-headed occurring in overlapping ranges in Costa Rica. The Crested has the large black cap, flatish head, strongly contrasting body colors, large beak. Perches upright.

Cardon cactuses grow with upright arms that grow very long/tall. Much larger than their northern cousins the Suguaro.

We live directly above the Tarcoles River in Costa Rica where both species occur. We have also spent many months traveling through Baja, Mexico!

]]> By: Lorna Smith http://www.birds.cornell.edu/roundrobin/2010/01/22/photo-quiz-6-where-am-i-edition/#comment-1181 Lorna Smith Sat, 23 Jan 2010 20:34:06 +0000 http://birdsredesign.wordpress.com/?p=1215#comment-1181 Clearly a Crested Caracara perched on a Cardon cactus in Baja, Mexico; a common enough, but delightful sight. Hope you enjoyed your Baja vacation. Did you make it to Mulege? Clearly a Crested Caracara perched on a Cardon cactus in Baja, Mexico; a common enough, but delightful sight. Hope you enjoyed your Baja vacation. Did you make it to Mulege?

]]> By: like playing games? try these quizzes! http://www.birds.cornell.edu/roundrobin/2010/01/22/photo-quiz-6-where-am-i-edition/#comment-1180 like playing games? try these quizzes! Sat, 23 Jan 2010 15:31:37 +0000 http://birdsredesign.wordpress.com/?p=1215#comment-1180 [...] Cornell Lab Photo Quiz 6: Where am I? [...] [...] Cornell Lab Photo Quiz 6: Where am I? [...]

]]> By: Hugh http://www.birds.cornell.edu/roundrobin/2010/01/22/photo-quiz-6-where-am-i-edition/#comment-1179 Hugh Sat, 23 Jan 2010 15:19:30 +0000 http://birdsredesign.wordpress.com/?p=1215#comment-1179 Excellent guesses, both of you - but now I have to admit that the location part of this quiz is a little trickier than it seems. And that's because the plant ID is a little harder than it seems. Is that enough of a hint? At any rate, great detective work so far! Don't forget to tell us a little about how you know it's a caracara. That's one of the weirdest hawks in North America-so what do you use to recognize it? Excellent guesses, both of you – but now I have to admit that the location part of this quiz is a little trickier than it seems. And that’s because the plant ID is a little harder than it seems. Is that enough of a hint? At any rate, great detective work so far!

Don’t forget to tell us a little about how you know it’s a caracara. That’s one of the weirdest hawks in North America-so what do you use to recognize it?

]]> By: Robert Mortensen http://www.birds.cornell.edu/roundrobin/2010/01/22/photo-quiz-6-where-am-i-edition/#comment-1178 Robert Mortensen Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:47:51 +0000 http://birdsredesign.wordpress.com/?p=1215#comment-1178 Crested Caracara on a Saguaro Cactus, so its most likely Southeastern Arizona or somewhere in Northern Mexico. We had a vagrant Caracara here in Idaho between Christmas and New Years! Crested Caracara on a Saguaro Cactus, so its most likely Southeastern Arizona or somewhere in Northern Mexico. We had a vagrant Caracara here in Idaho between Christmas and New Years!

]]> By: herniaharrier http://www.birds.cornell.edu/roundrobin/2010/01/22/photo-quiz-6-where-am-i-edition/#comment-1177 herniaharrier Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:38:21 +0000 http://birdsredesign.wordpress.com/?p=1215#comment-1177 Saguaro National Monument, Arizona! It's a Crested Caracara sitting on a Saguaro Cactus. Saguaro National Monument, Arizona! It’s a Crested Caracara sitting on a Saguaro Cactus.

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