Mystery Bird Competition

Welcome to the Mystery Bird Competition of Aves Ecuador. We hope to present a new mystery bird each month. The photos are taken in Ecuador. The monthly solution will include a second picture by which the bird can be identified more easily. After each round a list with the scores of each participant will be presented. At the end of the year there will be a final winner!

Please send in your solution before the end of the month to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it



Mystery Bird Competition 2009

Mystery Bird Competition 2010

Mystery Bird Competition 2011

Mystery Bird Competition 2012

Mystery Bird Competition 2013

 

 

NEW MYSTERY BIRD COMPETITION 2015! 

This year's Mystery Bird Competition is being organized my Tuomas Seimola. Thank you Tuomas!

Photos are taken by him which means that Dušan Brinkhuizen can finally participate too, after 6 years of MBC's!

All photos are taken in Ecuador. Deadlines are typically at the end of the month. However, as long as the solution picture has not been posted on this website you can still send in your anwser to participate. 

We hope that many of you will participate. Good luck to all!

 

 

Mystery Bird - April 2015 

 Mystery April1 

You think you know what species this is?!

Send your answer before the end of the month to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

See below the winners and solutions of the previous months:

 

 

Mystery Bird - March 2015

Mystery March-2015

Solution - March 2015

 SolutionSpotted Woodcreeper

Spotted Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus erythropygius

Although an unusual posture for a woodcreeper, this month felt "fairly" easy.

Of course Olive-backed Woodcreeper was the main pitfall, but most of us got it right.

The 7 winners of this round:

Julien Mazenhauer, Avery Bartels, Jay Vandergaast, 

Mathieu Siol, Boris Herrera, Dušan Brinkhuizen & Mitch Lysinger;

 

Other species that were sent in:

Olive-backed Woodcreeper

Buff-throated Woodcreeper

Rusty-winged Barbtail

 

Latest ranking click here! 

 

 

 

Mystery Bird - February 2015 

Mystery February DSC 5799 

Solution - February 2015

Solution-Feb-Black Solitaire

Black Solitaire Entomodestes coracinus

February mystery seemed a little easier than the previous one. Nevertheless, to me it was a real braincracker...

First impression; it's a Black Solitaire?! No, it can't be, that would be too easy... it has to be some kind of trap.

A male White-lined Tanager? That would explain the white feathering too. Is that white tuft even part of the bird? Or just a photo effect??

Some weird black antbird spec? The shape seemed to fit a thrush the best. No white in the tail; does this automatically exclude the solitaire?

Well, my gut feeling told me, go for Black Solitaire, and YES, got this one right!  

 

We got 7 winners for the second round: Christopher Layden, Gabriel Bucheli, Héctor Cadena, Mathieu Siol, Boris Herrera, Dušan Brinkhuizen & Mitch Lysinger; well done!

Other species that were sent in:

 Scrub Blackbird

 

Latest ranking click here!

 

 

 

Mystery Bird - January 2015

MysteryDSC 7105 january

Solution - January 2015

 DSC 7106January solution

Brown Inca Coeligena wilsoni

 

Dear friends, I was hoping for an easy start but this one turned out to be a real toughie!

After having looked at the image for over 100 times I was quite conviced it had to be a female Buff-winged Starfrontlet. 

 When Tuomas sent me the solution image I was kind of shocked... how could it ever be a Brown Inca?!

Anyway, the solution image is pretty straight forward!

 

We got three winners for the first round: Mathieu Siol, Boris Herrera & Mitch Lysinger; excellent job!

 

Other species that were sent in:

Blue-fronted Lancebill (2)

Green-fronted Lancebill (2)

White-tailed Hillstar (2)

Buff-winged Starfrontlet (4)

Tooth-billed Hummingbird 

 

 

 

 

 

2014 

The final winner of the Mystery Bird Competition 2014:


MITCH LYSINGER!!!!!!!


Mitch identified 11 out of 12 mystery birds correctly! WOW!!!! "Magic" Mitch does it again!

Silver goes to Tuomas Seimola, who identified 7 out of 12 birds correctly! Excellent!
 
Third place goes to Mathieu Siol, who identified 6 out of 12 birds correctly! Very well done!

 

Final ranking 2014 click here!


See below for the winners and solutions of each of the previous months of 2014:

 

 

Mystery Bird - December 2014 

Mystery-Dec-14 

Solution - November 2014

Solution-Dec-14

Bronze-olive Pygmy-tyrant Pseudotriccus pelzelni 

We got 3 winners that identified this drab bird correctly!

Mathieu Siol, Tuomas Seimola and Mitch Lysinger you guys are experts!

 

Other species that were sent in: 

Ochre-bellied Flycatcher

 

Latest ranking click here!

 

 

Mystery Bird - November 2014

 Mystery-November-2014

Solution - November 2014 

Solution-November-2014

Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus 

A common species but a very difficult plumage and angle. We got just one winner:

 Mitch Lysinger; superb!

Other species that were sent in:

Drab Water-tyrant
Tawny-crowned Pygmy-tyrant

 

Latest ranking click here! 

 

 

 Mystery Bird - October 2014

 Mystery-Oct-2014

 Solution - Oktober 2014

 Solution-Oct-2014

White-rumped sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis and a Stilt Sandpiper ;-) (left) 

This species is rarely photographed in Ecuador. But keep in mind that everything is possible on a Mystery Bird Competition!

Three gentlemen proved that they know their waders: Mathieu Siol, Tuomas Seimola and Mitch Lysinger you guys are good!

 

 

Mystery Bird - September 2014 

Mystery-Sept-2014 

Solution - September 2014

Solution-Sept-14 

Black-billed Peppershrike Cyclarhis nigrirostris 

This was a real thoughie! Nevertheless, we have two winners:

Tuomas Seimola and Mitch Lysinger; congratulations! 

 

Other species that were sent in:

Dusky Bush-Tanager 
White-eyed Tody-Tyrant 

 

Latest ranking click here! 

 

 

Mystery Bird - August 2014

Mystery-Aug-2014

Solution - August 2014

Solution-Aug-2014

Black-chinned Antbird Hypocnemoides melanopogon 

 
A very tough one indeed! Surprizingly, we got three winners:  
 
Mathieu Siol, Tuomas Seimola and Mitch Lysinger; well done!
 
Other species that were sent in:
 
Blackish Antbird
Dusky Antbird
Plain-throated Antwren
Jet Manakin

 

 

 

Mystery Bird - July 2014

Mystery-June-2014

Solution - July 2014

White-fronted-Tyrannulet-Solution

 White-fronted Tyrannulet Phyllomyias zeledoni

This month turned out to be the toughest so far. Everybody was guessing in the correct family but indeed;
many of the tyrant flycatchers look the same, especially in this angle. Anyway, well done for the ones that dared to try!

Species that were sent in: 

Spectacled Bristle-Tyrant
Slaty-capped Flycatcher
Ecuadorian Tyrannulet
Yellow-Olive Flycatcher
Handsome Flycatcher
Ornate Flycatcher
Yellow-margined Flycatcher

 

 Mystery Bird - June 2014

Mystery-June-2014 2 

Solution - June 2014

Blackpoll-Warbler-Dusan-Brinkhuizen

 Blackpoll Warbler Setophaga striata

Five birders sent in their guess and all five got it right!

Mathieu Siol, Tuomas Seimola, Nick AthanasJay VanderGaast and Mitch Lysinger; well done!

 

Latest ranking click here!

 

 

 

Mystery Bird - May 2014 

MysteryMay2014 

Solution - May 2014 

solutionmay2014

Yellow Tyrannulet Capsiempis flaveola

We got three winners for this toughie:

Nick AthanasJay VanderGaast and Mitch Lysinger!

Other species that were sent in:

Hooded Siskin (2)
Lesser Wagtail-tyrant (2)
Yellow-crowned Elaenia
White-eyed Tody-tyrant

 

 

Mystery Bird - April 2014 

 Mystery-April-2014

Solution - April 2014 

Solution-April-2014

 Ochre-breasted Tanager Chlorothraupis stolzmanni

This was probably the hardest MB of 2014 so far... and don't worry, more are in the make!

And indeed, the way the bird is perched it looks just like a Piha!

 We got three winners for this round:

Derek Kverno, Mitch Lysinger and Jorge Cruz; congrats!

Other species that were sent in:

 Olivaceous Piha (5)
Grey-tailed Piha (2)
Thrush-like Schiffornis
Buff-throated Saltator

 

 

Mystery Bird - March 2014

Mystery-March-2014

Solution - March 2014

Solution-March-2014

Strong-billed Woodcreeper Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus

March was very tough... but nevertheless we got 8 winners!

Mathieu Siol, Mitch Lysinger, Rudy Gelis, Lelis Navarette, Scott Olmstead, 

Tuomas Seimola, Mathieu Waldeck, Jorge Cruz: congratulations! 

 Other species that were sent in:

Olive-backed Woodcreeper
Montane Woodcreeper
Northern Barred Woodcreeper
Long-tailed Woodcreeper
Rusty-winged Barbtail
Black-banded Woodcreeper
Flammulated Treehunter

 

 

Mystery Bird - February 2014 

 Mystery-Feb-2014

Solution - February 2014 

Solution-Feb-2014

Yellow-margined Flycatcher Tolmomyias assimilis

This month was a toughy. But, that's the idea, otherwise it would not be a competition!

Nevertheless we got five correct anwsers and thus five winners:

Mathieu Siol, Mitch Lysinger, Derek Kverno, Jonas Nilsson and Steve Davidson; well done!

 

Other species that were sent in:
 
Flavescent Flycatcher (2)
Golden-faced Tyrannulet
Orange-crested Flycatcher
Olivaceous Flatbill
Acadian Flycatcher

 

Ranking click here! 

 

 

Mystery Bird - January 2014
Mystery-Jan-2014 

Solution - January 2014

 Solution-Jan-2014

 Scale-breasted Woodpecker Celeus grammicus

Not really an easy start for 2014. Chestnut Woodpecker was clearly the pitfall for this round!

Nevertheless we got 11 winners:

Rudy Gelis, Mitch Lysinger, Roberto Cedeño, Ed Smith,

Lelis Navarette, Scott Olmstead, Iris Schriefer, Pierre Geoffray,

Tuomas Seimola, Bill Fiero, Jay VanderGaast: good eye for detail!

 
Other species that were sent in:
 
Chestnut Woodpecker (12)
Andean Cock-of-the-Rock
Long-billed Woodcreeper
Rusty-winged Barbtail

 

 

 

2013

 

 

The final winner of the Mystery Bird Competition 2013:


MITCH LYSINGER!!!!!!!


Mitch identified 10 out of 12 mystery birds correctly! What an amazing score! Very well done "Magic" Mitch!

Silver goes to Tuomas Seimola, who identified 9 out of 12 birds correctly! Excellent!
 
Third place goes to Jay VanderGaast, who identified 7 out of 12 birds correctly! Super!

 

Final ranking 2013 click here!


Click the link below for the winners and solutions of each of the previous months of 2013:

 

Mystery Bird Competition 2013

 

 

 

 
Aves Ecuador by Dušan M. Brinkhuizen