TBC Self-Test

Q: Are there necessary qualifications to participate?
A: Yes. TBC participants do not need to be professionals or "expert" birders. However, the methods used in the TBC require that participants be able to correctly and quickly identify most birds found in the Tucson area. Use the following guidelines to determine whether you are qualified to participate. If you have any questions about qualifications, please contact us!
The test: If you are a qualified participant, all statements in the left column are "TRUE" and all in the right column are "FALSE".

Qualified participant

Perhaps not qualified

  • I can ID the more common Tucson-area species quickly, generally without consulting a bird book, often by sound.
  • I have little difficulty identifying almost all of the birds marked as "Common" in the Bird ID Center.
  • I can ID less-common species (or tricky species that closely resemble others) with reference to a bird book. These IDs are still done in reasonably short amount of time for most species.
  • I am familiar with most of the 170+ birds listed in the Bird ID Center, including those not marked as "Common".
  • I may be stumped sometimes by difficult or rare birds, odd plumages (juvenile, winter), females of some species, or looks that weren't long enough, even with a book.
  • I know some clues to look for in birds that aren't immediately identifiable: for example streaking, eye ring, wing bars, malar, tail length, feeding movements, etc.
  • I need a bird book to identify some common local species (more than a few of the birds marked as "Common" in the Bird ID Center).
  • I need a minute or two consulting/flipping through book to ID many species.
  • I can't recognize any birds by sound (e.g., Cactus wren, Curve-billed thrasher, White-winged dove).
  • I am stumped on good looks at adult males in breeding plumage, after consulting book.
  • I am not sure of key things to look for in birds that aren't immediately identifiable.