I write this entry as I sit on a beach at Long Beach, NY just east of New York City. For the past few days, I’ve been here, soaking up the sun.

Right off to the side, my binoculars are ready for any bird that might fly by. Many gulls are standing along the beach about two hundred feet to my left, while small sandpipers dart along the wet sand in front of me trying to avoid the waves. Making large sweeps along the beach are terns.

I’ve just described three types of birds that I am seeing here, but identifying these three families of birds are some of the most difficult birds to identify, especially for beginning birdwatchers. In some other posts, I’ve talked about getting down to seeing the important field marks for each species.

For the terns, gulls and sandpipers, there will be many similar looking birds and it will end up being a combination of field marks in most cases that will allow you to make the final call on the species. Especially with these three families, don’t be afraid to not make the final identification.

I will go ahead and give tips on how to identify the birds you might find at a beach, pier, marsh or lakeside. I am not going for species identification tips here, but rather providing information on what you will really need to start looking for in each bird to go back to your field guide and make the identification, if possible. Your locale will also help to pinpoint the species you are looking at; consulting your field guide will provide the information you need on what birds are found in your area.

Tips on Identifying the Gulls

The gulls are generally the largest of the three families I will be discussing. One feature to look for on the gulls will be the mantle color which is the back of the gull. It can be very dark, almost black as in the Great Black-backed Gull, dark gray like in the Laughing Gull or light gray like in Bonaparte’s Gull. Another important thing to note will be coloration of the wings. There are several types of feather in a bird’s wing - the primaries, the secondaries and tertials. What color is found on each while you observe the bird flying will give you a lot of information as the which species you are seeing. Patterns on the bill and leg color may be important, although these will be the last determining factor.

One of the most difficult situations with gull identification is the many variations due to seasonal plumage and plumage changes during the progression to adult plumage. These immature gulls will have mottling on the mantle and head, with several species looking very similar.

Tips on Identifying the Terns

I would consider the terns to be another group of birds that can be difficult to identify. To me, they are the more agile and active than the gulls. For terns, we want to look at several field marks in order to gather the information needed to make a correct identification.

Bill color will help to isolate the species you are looking at. In some birds, the bill is bi-colored so the combination of colors will help determine the species. Another major feature will be the color patterning on the head and face of the individual you are looking at.

The most important feature will be the coloring in the wing, both on the upper and lower wing surfaces. This may sound simple but when the bird is flying erratically and flying past you at different angles, it truly is hard to see the field marks that you need to see.

Tips on Identifying the Sandpipers and Plovers

This group includes almost 50 North American species. Many have very distinct colors and patterning, making identification rather simple. On the other hand, there are many that will challenge even the seasoned bird watcher. When looking through a field guide, each species looks very different from each other when viewed with other species for comparison. When in the field and with only an individual to look at, the uncertainty begins to kick in.

Unlike the other two groups discussed above, leg color will aid in the identification of some species of sandpipers and plovers. Definite field marks to note will be breast coloration and patterning, tail coloration and patterning, wing patterns while in flight, and bill length and whether the bill is curved upward, downward or is straight.

Similar to the gulls, sandpipers and gulls go through multiple plumage stages: immature, breeding and non-breeding. The time of year that you are observing may help. Most breeding individuals will be more colorful or have distinct field marks to aid in the identification.