Fish and Bird Species Identification Guide

1. Brook Trout • Bottom fins (pectoral, anal, pelvic ) have white margins • Spots on side merge along top and appear worm like • Slight notch in the tail fin

2. Brown Trout • Brown in color • Red or gray – yellow spots surrounded by a white halo • Spotted adipose fin

3. Rainbow Trout • Rainbow color characteristic on the sides • Black spots on the body and fins

4. Rio Grande cutthroat trout • Red slash marks below the jaw. Large black irregular spots on tail and upper 2/3rds of the body

5. Gila Trout • Gold / Copper Color • Black spots on upper half of the body and on the dorsal and caudal fins • Dark splotches along center line

6. Channel catfish • Deep forked tail, upper jaw projects beyond bottom jaw • Dark spots on body, white belly

7. Flathead catfish • Flat head, lower jaw projects beyond upper jaw. Pale yellow belly, mottled color. • Rounded caudal fin

8. Yellow bullhead catfish • Lower body has yellow color. The anal fin is rounded, fins are dusky brown and the head is depressed.

9. Smallmouth bass • Yellow-green with vertical bands • Jaw hinge slightly forward of the eye

10. Largemouth Bass • Usually dark green, dark splotches form a horizontal line. • Dorsal fin almost divided. • Upper jaw reaches behind rear margin of the eye

11. Striped bass • Olive green back, white belly with dark horizontal stripes. • Doral fin is separated

12. Bluegill • The gill fringe is blue in color, with a black patch on the back of the gill. It has five dark vertical bars on the sides. Body tends to be orange in color.

13. Crappie • Eyes locate near the top of the head. Dark flecking on the body.

14. Crayfish • Hard segmented exoskeleton. May be brown, yellow or green I pair of antennae and one pair of pinchers.

15. Kokanee Salmon • Bright silver on the sides. As they mature the female has a blue /green color and the male turns red with a hooked jaw.

16. Walleye • The light reflects light, giving it the shiny glossy appearance. White belly with a yellow/olive colored body. Usually has five dark saddles on the back

17. Carp • Small eyes, has thick lips with a barbel at the corner of its mouth. The carp has very large scales.

18. Sucker • Elongated head with the small mouth adapted for bottom feeding. Heavily scaled and a tinge of red or pink on its sides

19. Northern Pike • Olive green body with elongated white spots. Single dorsal fin and has a white underline, teeth are very evident.

20. Longnose Gar • Extremely long nose with numerous teeth. Long cylindrical body with a white underline. The dorsal fin is located almost in front of the tail fin.

21. Canada goose • Large brown goose • Long black neck • White Chin strap

22. Snow Goose • White goose, black on the tips of the primary wing feathers.

23. Mallard - Male • Green head, yellow bill, white ring on neck, gray back, blue wing speculum.

24. Mallard - Female • Orange bill with a black central patch. Dark cap and eye line. Mottle brown with a blue wing speculum.

25. Pintail - Male • Long pointed tail, blue – gray bill with a black stripe down the middle. White stripe on the back of then neck. Green wing speculum.

26. Pintail - Female • Bluish bill, yellow brown in color, pale green wing speculum

27. Shoveler - Male • Pronounced bill. Dark green head, white breast. Light blue shoulder patch, black – green speculums

28. Shoveler - female • Gray – brown buff in color, light blue shoulder patch, black-green speculum • Pronounced bill

29. Gadwall - Male • Grayish color, white patch on back of wing edge, black rump. Folded wings appear to have red/brown stripes

30. Gadwall - Female • Mottled brown color, white patch on wing edge.

31. Wigeon - Male • Brown body with a white abdomen, green on the back of the head. Pale yellow to white fore head. Pin/gray breast, green speculum. Blue Bill

32. Wigeon - female • Brown mottled body with a green wing speculum. Blue bill

33. Wood Duck - Male • Very colorful, body may be green, purple, burgundy. Green crested head and a white throat. Long square tail.

34. Wood Duck - Female • Brown to gray in color, white patches around the eyes. Crested head.

35. Green-winged teal Male • Cinnamon colored head with a green wing patch. White stripe down the side between the wing and breast. It has a black bill and feet and legs.

36. Green-winged , Female • The female has a light brown head and neck with a whitish throat, green patches on the wing.

37. Cinnamon teal - Male • Cinnamon colored head and body. Long dark bill, red eyes. Spatulate bill.

38. Cinnamon teal - Female • Brown eye, pale head

39. Blue –winged teal, male • The male has a blue gray head, a white curved stripe between the bill and the eye. Speckled pink and gray body.

40. Blue-winged teal, female • Speckled black, white and brown body. The bill is black and blue

41. Canvasback, male • Red head, long black bill, sloping forehead. Black chest with grey-white body.

42. Canvasback - female • Lighter colored head than the male. Long bill and sloping fore head are evident.

43. Lesser scaup - male • Dark green metallic head, speckled back, white side. Blue bill with a black nail tip.

44. Lesser scaup - female • Blue bill, black nail at tip, white band at the base of the bill, dark body.

45. Ring-necked duck - male • Dark head, very dark purple ring seen on the neck. Upper body and rear are black. Bill is blue/grey, white bordered with a black tip.

46. Ring-necked duck - female • Bill is blue grey , white bordered with a black tip. Tan sides, brown back and white belly.

47. Common merganser - male • Green-black head, white flanks, breast and belly. Long red, pointed, serrated bill. Dark back, white flanks, breast and belly.

48. Common merganser - female • Long orange serrated bill. Brown head, grey back and grey/white body

49. Hooded Merganser - male • Yellow eye, black head and back, large white patch in the center of the crest.

50. Hooded merganser - female • Brown eye, gray brown head and body, faint red tinge to the crest, white belly.