How Do Birds Recognize Themselves?

The author shares the experience of spotting the 533rd lifer, a rare white-eyed gull, in the United States. The article highlights the breeding behavior in red-billed gulls, where males and females of different colors take turns protecting and caring for the nest. A study from Cambridge University is also mentioned, suggesting that birds may recognize their own reflection and show variations in song learning.

On Sunday morning, I woke up before fully opening my eyes and glanced at my phone. Aside from two or three important apps, I didn’t have many notifications. Among those active notifications was one from Group Me — a messaging app similar to Discord that many bird watchers use. Usually, Group Me doesn’t buzz with many messages unless a rare or unusual bird is spotted. Seeing the notification, I quickly checked and read “Garganey in southern Minnesota.” The garganey, known as the white-eyed teal in Nepali, is a bird found in Asia and Europe but is extremely rare and migratory in the United States. While I had previously seen the white-eyed teal at Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, this sighting would be a lifer for me in America.

At that time, my American lifer count stood at 532. Determined not to miss the 533rd, we traveled three hours to the location. By the time we arrived, it was midday. At the edge of a field, in a water pool, there were many ducks. We scanned carefully but didn’t see the white-eyed teal. The other ducks in the pool appeared similar from a distance. We waited, watching closely. After a while, a different flock of ducks landed there. I diligently scanned with my binoculars and spotted one that looked different from the rest—it was the white-eyed teal! The sought-after bird was finally found!