hello tweeties,

here are the previous two demystified birds for you to read about, thanks to a lovely "diagnostic" essay written by Rick Wright;

first, thanks to photographer, Richard Ditch, this was a Mallard duckling, Anas platyrhynchos, as some of you correctly identified;

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2008/11/todays_mystery_bird_for_you_to_45.php

this analysis includes a book reference that you will find useful (and you might like to add it to your holiday shopping list now since it out-of-print, although it still is available).

next, the mystery bird from monday was a female Ring-necked Duck, Aythya collaris;

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2008/11/todays_mystery_bird_for_you_to_25.php

this analysis explains how to ID ducks based on their tails alone!

thanks to my friend and photographer, Dave Rintoul, here's today's mystery bird for you to identfy;

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2008/11/todays_mystery_bird_for_you_to_73.php

cheers,

GrrlScientist
Devorah
http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/
Roosting high up a tree somewhere in Central Park, NYC