Lesser or Greater (1 Viewer)

iraqbabbler

Well-known member

• Jan 6, 2015

• #1

This is not about any specific id, but rather an observation that I have made about birders posting here.

I noticed that more often than not, when a question is asked about whether a species is Lesser or Greater something, that the ID is inevitably Greater. I wonder why that is :smoke:

I also wonder if anyone else has noticed this at all 8-P

This seems to be the case for those not so straightforward birds, such as Scaup, Yellowlegs .. etc.

I don't have incontrovertible scientific proof but I did a quick search on this forum and it seems to be the case

 

Richard Prior

Halfway up an Alp

• Jan 6, 2015

• #2

iraqbabbler said:

I noticed that more often than not, when a question is asked about whether a species is Lesser or Greater something, that the ID is inevitably Greater. I wonder why that is :smoke:

Click to expand...

Hmmm, well as I always say, size isn't everything

 

Nutcracker

Stop Brexit!

• Jan 6, 2015

• #3

Large birds are easier to see?

But often not true; a high % of USA queries about scaup turn out to be Lesser Scaup.

 

D

DarkFireFalcon

Well-known member

• Jan 7, 2015

• #4

It is, however, true for White-fronted Geese!

 

Adam W

Well-known member

• Jan 7, 2015

• #5

Nutcracker said:

But often not true; a high % of USA queries about scaup turn out to be Lesser Scaup.

Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking too.

 

Jamie Dunning

Well-known member

• Jan 7, 2015

• #6

Is the American arm of Bird forum independent from this one? is it an IP address thing?

 

Larry Sweetland

Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'

• Jan 7, 2015

• #7

Be interesting to see the stats for sandplovers ( one of the ID forum regulars). I have a feeling more of the resolved ones might be Lesser.

 

Nutcracker

Stop Brexit!

• Jan 7, 2015

• #8

And more auks will be Little than Great 3

 

L

LowellMills

Is this your Sanderling?

• Jan 7, 2015

• #9

More Yellowlegs seem to be IDd as Lesser surely? both in America and even more certainly in Britain and Ireland.

 

D

DarkFireFalcon

Well-known member

• Jan 8, 2015

• #10

On the West Coast of the US, Greater Yellowlegs are far more likely, so an unknown bird there is usually going to be Greater. Lesser Scaup are in general more widespread, so I'd give better odds to them over Greater in the US. For Black-backed Gulls, it's usually people trying to turn a Great into a Lesser.