Quiz: How Many Shorebirds Can You Identify?
- Test your shorebird identification skills with this quiz featuring 17 different species.
Most birdwatchers can identify common backyard birds . But you're not alone if shorebirds trip you up. How many of these waders can you identify? Put your shorebird identification skills to the test with this quiz.
Quiz: How many female birds can you identify?
1. Small Threatened Shorebird
Answer: piping plover
Look for plover birds both on (and off) the shore.
2. The Loner of the Group
Answer: solitary sandpiper
3. Beachcomber With a Bright Bill
Answer: American oystercatcher
An American oystercatcher looks for food in shallow water. It uses its red-orange, knifelike bill to open mussels, clams and oysters.
4. Secretive Swamp Bird
Answer: Wilson's snipe
5. Patterned Plumage
Answer: spotted sandpiper
6. Coastal Shorebird
Answer: willet
7. Rosy Pink Legs
Answer: black-necked stilt
8. The Ground-Nester
Answer: killdeer
9. Long-Distance Migrant
Answer: dunlin
10. Graceful and Elegant
Answer: American avocet
11. Songbird Sized Shorebird
Answer: semipalmated plover
12. Long and Lanky
Answer: lesser yellowlegs
13. Colorful Wading Bird
Answer: reddish egret
Standing more than 2 feet tall with a wingspan of more than 3 feet, reddish egrets are impressive waterbirds.
14. Tiny Beach Runner
Answer: sanderling
Sanderlings chase the waves in search of sand crabs, which are easy to spot after a wave washes away.
15. Solid Black Water Bird
Answer: black oystercatcher
16. Diving Fish Eater
Answer: brown pelican
17. Checkered Shorebird
Answer: black-bellied plover
