Bird tracks are easy to distinguish from other animals because they have only three toes, but it can be hard to tell one bird’s prints from another. Small birds obviously have smaller tracks than larger birds, but telling a robin print from that of a red-winged blackbird, for example, will likely be difficult.
A few clues can help you determine what kind of bird left behind the tracks. For example, waterfowl like geese and ducks have webbed feet, while birds of prey, such as hawks, have claws on their toes. The pattern of the tracks can be telling too. For example, sparrows hop, so their two prints always appear side by side, Outdoor Life reports. Pigeons, on the other hand, will have alternating prints because they walk while on the ground.
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(Lead image by Glenn P. Knoblock)
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