Last month we asked:
Which automobile manufacturer used the silhouettes of six swallows in its emblem?
The first right answer this time came from Brenda Best , who correctly identified Cadillac as the culprit. In their latest incarnation, the birds more closely resembled ducks than anything else, but in their source–the probably spurious arms of Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac–they are identified as merlettes, traditionally said to represent a swallow or martin. James and Susan Dawkins referred us to a useful website, for which many thanks!
This month’s question is more strictly ornithological:
Which breeding landbird of the eastern US and Canada molts its primaries in the sequence 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-10-9?
If you know the answer, leave us a comment. As always, the first correct response, and the most interesting incorrect response, will be rewarded with a WINGS cap.
I think it’s the Northern Goshawk.
Oops…just read the question again. For a land bird, it would be the American Dipper.
The Northern Goshawk is a ‘landbird’ (life cycle mostly terrestrial) as opposed to a ‘waterbird’ (lifecycle mostly aquatic). If I am reading the question correctly its breeding range is eastern USA and Canada. I think the answer is still up for grabs.
I think this pattern is typical of all hummingbirds, so in eastern NA it would be the Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Gotta love Howell’s new Molt book!