Read the excerpt. Then choose the best way to complete the bulleted summary of the excerpt.
Excerpt adapted from "What Is That Bird?" by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
"The first step in bird identification is learning to observe. Watch, listen, and record your observations in a journal using descriptive words and sketches, or photograph birds to capture a permanent, detailed image that you can study later.
If you are just starting to watch birds, consider familiarizing yourself with the ones that you see daily. What are their general characteristics? Are they big or small, colorful or drab? Do they sit still or flit from branch to branch? Then, try comparing new birds that you see with the common birds that you already know. Is your new discovery the size of a sparrow, a robin, or a crow? Is its bill short or long, hooked or straight?
Learning the basic form and structure, or morphology, of a bird will help you to make comparisons of birds. Concentrate on the shape and size of the beak, including the relative size of the upper and lower beak; length of the outer tail feathers, upper tail coverts, and throat; and the coloration of the crown and breast. It will also help you to think about the types of habitat in which you are most likely to find specific birds, since the birds that you see may be migratory and will only be in your area at a specific time of the year."
• There are three keys to identifying birds.
• Note their physical characteristics.
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• Watch how they behave.
Select the correct answer from the drop-down menu to complete the summary.
