Novices often ask experienced birders how they are able to identify birds so quickly. For most of us, the answer would simply be "Practice." Nonetheless, the best birders are probably born, not made, for they have keen eyes and ears and encyclopedic minds that are able to absorb and recall instantly the nuances of bird behavior and appearance and habitat; the rest of us simply have to work at it constantly, poring over our field guides, learning and re-learning year after year the subtle differences between warbler songs or duck plumages.

So here's a little test. Listed below are 19 characteristics of a relatively common Piedmont bird that was trapped and banded this week at Hilton Pond Center. The list is constructed so the further you go down the list, the more likely it is you'll be able to name the bird. The challenge is to make the identification before you get to the end of the list.

When you think you know the answer, click on the question marks at right to go to a new page and photo that will verify your educated guess.

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