Comments on: Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America http://www.birderslibrary.com/reviews/books/field/smithsonian_field_guide_to_birds.htm Book Reviews for Birders, and More... Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:40:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Grant McCreary http://www.birderslibrary.com/reviews/books/field/smithsonian_field_guide_to_birds.htm/comment-page-1/#comment-403 Grant McCreary Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:12:50 +0000 http://www.birderslibrary.com/reviews/books/field/smithsonian_field_guide_to_birds.htm#comment-403 I see what you mean, Raymond. Cornell, and even Sibley, show the immature Sharp-shinned with "heavy, reddish" streaks. That is, apparently, the "typical" look. But the juv sharpie in the Smithsonian has smaller streaks, they are more brown, and just looks lighter. With raptor ID questions such as this, I usually turn first to the <a href="http://www.birderslibrary.com/reviews/books/advanced/raptors_wheeler.htm" rel="nofollow">Wheeler raptor guides</a>. All but one of the immature sharpies in that guide look like the bird on the Cornell site. However, one does look like the Smithsonian. In the text it does say that there is a "narrowly streaked type" of juveniles. The description sounds very much like the bird shown in the Smithsonian. Thus, it seems like this is a fairly normal appearance. However, since there was room in the Smithsonian for only one pic of the imm sharpie, it's debatable whether this was an appropriate plumage type to include. This situation also shows why it's important that birders have multiple resources for ID. That was a great catch, and something that I had never before noticed about the accipiters (I don't see many sharpies perched around here). I see what you mean, Raymond. Cornell, and even Sibley, show the immature Sharp-shinned with “heavy, reddish” streaks. That is, apparently, the “typical” look. But the juv sharpie in the Smithsonian has smaller streaks, they are more brown, and just looks lighter.

With raptor ID questions such as this, I usually turn first to the Wheeler raptor guides. All but one of the immature sharpies in that guide look like the bird on the Cornell site. However, one does look like the Smithsonian. In the text it does say that there is a “narrowly streaked type” of juveniles. The description sounds very much like the bird shown in the Smithsonian.

Thus, it seems like this is a fairly normal appearance. However, since there was room in the Smithsonian for only one pic of the imm sharpie, it’s debatable whether this was an appropriate plumage type to include.

This situation also shows why it’s important that birders have multiple resources for ID.

That was a great catch, and something that I had never before noticed about the accipiters (I don’t see many sharpies perched around here).

]]> By: Raymond Belhumeur http://www.birderslibrary.com/reviews/books/field/smithsonian_field_guide_to_birds.htm/comment-page-1/#comment-367 Raymond Belhumeur Sun, 17 Aug 2008 20:23:10 +0000 http://www.birderslibrary.com/reviews/books/field/smithsonian_field_guide_to_birds.htm#comment-367 I start to reed recently the guide and it is very interesting. My question concerns the immature Sharp-shinned Hawk perched, on page 121 : the fine steaks seem identical to the ones of the immature Cooper's Hawk. Look at this http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutBirdsandFeeding/accipiterIDtable.htm Thanks for your answer. Sincerely, Raymond Belhumeur Longueuil, arr.Saint-Hubert Québec Canada raymond.belhumeur@internet.uqam.ca I start to reed recently the guide and it is very interesting. My question concerns the immature Sharp-shinned Hawk perched, on page 121 : the fine steaks seem identical to the ones of the immature Cooper’s Hawk. Look at this http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutBirdsandFeeding/accipiterIDtable.htm

Thanks for your answer.

Sincerely,

Raymond Belhumeur
Longueuil, arr.Saint-Hubert
Québec
Canada
raymond.belhumeur@internet.uqam.ca

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