Tourist Test

Several years ago I came across the “Tourist Test” which is a test to see how much you really know about the nature in your area. As I started reading through the questions, I was surprised by how much I did not know about my own backyard. Since then it has been my desire to discover the answers and I have used the questions as stepping stones to learn more. Here is a sample of one of the questions:

Question #94. What is the most common soaring hawk of your area?  The most common hawk in Tennessee is the Red-tailed Hawk, however the most common hawk I observe soaring and calling loudly high above the trees in my backyard is the Red-shouldered Hawk. Interestingly, “it may be the most vocal of American hawks, but since the Blue Jay can imitate a Red-shouldered Hawk remarkably well, care must be used when identifying this bird by voice alone”  (www.tnwatchablewildlife.org). Call of the Red-shouldered Hawk

A few months ago our neighborhood Red-shouldered Hawk took a break from its gliding on the air currents and landed on a tree branch in our backyard. It preened its feathers, stretched its wings and eyed our lawn with dark piercing eyes. Since it was posing so nicely, I quickly ran to get my camera and snapped a couple of pictures. A few minutes later it pushed off and slipped into the woods. Though the encounter was brief, I was delighted that I was able to see one relatively close.

Here is the link to the Tourist Test so you too can see how much you know or can still learn about your local environment. 

Tourist Test.pdf   or   Tourist Test (other format)