Once again Jory has agreed to provide 10,000 Birds readers with an identification quiz.  Good luck and remember to post your guesses in the comments!

It’s Wednesday.  That means time to put on your “10,000 Birds Avian Thinking Cap” again.

This quiz is structured around tidbits that I find interesting when browsing various reference sources (field guides, websites, etc).  Like Goldilocks, the quiz cannot be too hard or too easy, it must be “just right”.  One just never knows, however.

Remember the guidelines.  Try to guess the species in as few clues as possible.  ABA area birds only.  Answer will be posted this coming Saturday.

Five things you probably didn’t know about this species:

* Many thousands pass thru the James Bay area Canada in late summer.
* May migrate up to 5,000 miles non-stop (that’s longer than most commercial flights ).
* Surprisingly, little is known about this bird due to the remoteness of breeding and wintering sites.
* Migratory flight lines are along narrow corridors.
* Winters in a just handful of locations … exposing the population to potentially dangerous crashes.

Five things you might know about this species:

* Mostly feeds by touch rather than sight.
* Pointed wings.
* White stripe in wing.
* Black tail.
* “Arguably the best place to see (this species) is on road-side flooded fields along the Gulf of Texas during April.”

Check Saturday for the answer.  Good Luck!

Written by Jory
Jory's first field guide-identified bird was a Northern Cardinal. This turned out to be his gateway drug into birding. In 2007 Jory became the least accomplished birder to see 300 birds in New York State in one year. He has birded the world over but maintains his birding "beginner mind", of which he is inordinately proud. Just ask him. Jory is the 10,000 Birds Avian Quizmaster, coming up with ever more diabolical ways to stump his legion of devoted fans. He lives with his wife and the possessions of his children just outside of Albany NY.