BANGOR DAILY NEWS • March 7, 2026
Most bird IDs are easy. There are just a few traps that make them seem difficult. One of the biggest challenges is plumage variation. Males and females often look different from each other. Fledglings look different from their parents. Birds sporting bright spring colors can look very different in their duller autumn plumage. Many birds are also very good at hiding. Some birds make identification difficult by wandering. Perhaps the biggest challenge is presented by species that look very similar. Bird identification can seem difficult because birds don’t always make it easy. ~ Bob Duchesne