Posted by Steve Hampton (64.165.71.221) on November 25, 2001 at 23:44:12:
I agree with the crowd: American on the left; Larry G on the right. Given that I've got many Americans and Lessers at my thistle feeder every day now, the bird on the left is very quickly an American for me, due to its bulk, bill size, and, most importantly, the buffy orange tones on the face and head. The Lessers are all greeny yellowy without those buff tones. Also, whenever the Lessers have such a yellow throat (which is most of them), it carries down over the breast toward the belly.