The Challenge Factory discussion

Backyard Birding Challenge
Duration July 1 - December 31, 2023

Bird Set 1:

1. American Robin - Male and female Robins are very similar in appearance. Though known for being worm eaters, robins have varied diets. American Robins mostly eat fruits in the fall and winter, and include more insects and worms in their spring and summer diets. You can occasionally spot tipsy robins in the late winter and early spring, thanks to fermented berries they have devoured.
a. Read a book with twins in it.
b. Read a book with a tipsy character.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of A and R (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters ROBIN in it.

2. Downy Woodpecker - These are the smallest North American woodpeckers. The male has a distinctive red spot on the back of the head. Their diet is largely insects, but you will also see them at suet feeders in your backyard.
a. Read a book with a red spot on the cover.
b. Read a book that mentions a something made with down - a comforter, pillow, jacket, etc.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of D and W (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters DOWNY in it.

3. American Goldfinch – This is the only finch that molts twice a year. In summer, males are a vivid yellow with a black cap and black wings. Females are a duller yellow and lack the black cap. They often feed on small-seeded plants like thistles.
a. Read a book whose cover has bright yellow and black on it.
b. Read a book where a character changes clothes more than once.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of A and G (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters FINCH in it.

4. House Sparrow – This bird did not exist in North America until 1851, when it was imported from Europe to combat a linden moth caterpillar infestation in New York City. It can now be found on every continent except Antarctica and is considered to be a pest species. It is not related to any other American sparrow species.
a. Read a book about a migrant or migrants.
b. Read a book with a MC who is a pest (your interpretation).
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of H and S (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters SPARROW in it.

5. American Crow –These birds are incredibly clever, with the largest brain-to-body ratio of any bird. They not only use tools but also make them. They hold funerals for their dead. They can solve a metatool problem where each step was out of sight of the others, planning ahead three behaviors into the future. Populations of crows have different dialects, which a new crow will learn if it joins the flock.
a. Read a book where the MC is very good at solving problems.
b. Read a book where the MC learns a language other than their native one.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of A and C (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters CROW in it.

Completion posts

In progress
✔️1. American Robin
Book: Dirty Pleasures by Meghan March
Date read: July 2
Pages: 250
Task: d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters ROBIN in it.
How it fits: Dirty Billionaire series -- ROBIN within billionaire.

✔️2. Downy Woodpecker
Book: A Soul of Ash and Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Date read: July 19
Pages: 636
Task: a. Read a book with a red spot on the cover.
How it fits: Red flower spots on cover

✔️3. American Goldfinch
Book: A Shadow in the Ember by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Date read: July 9
Pages: 763
Task: b. Read a book where a character changes clothes more than once.
How it fits: Sera changes clothes multiple times.

✔️4. House Sparrow
Book: Real Dirty by Meghan March
Date read: July 31
Pages: 257
Task: b. Read a book with a MC who is a pest (your interpretation).
How it fits: Brandy hits up family members for money, steals from her family business, and tattles on her cousin which leads to her getting fired and evicted.

✔️5. American Crow
Book: The ​Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Date read: July 5
Pages: 645
Task: d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters CROW in it.
How it fits: CROWn in title

Done with the first set!

Here are your badges for Bird Set 1!

Bird Set 2:

6. Black Capped Chickadee - This bird's black cap and bib make it easy to identify. It has a habit of investigating humans and everything around its home territory. Chickadees usually hide seeds and other food items to eat later. They choose different spots to place each item. A Chickadee can remember thousands of food hiding places.
a. Read a story where the MC investigates something.
b. Read a story where a character hides things.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of B and C (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters BLACK in it.

7. House Finch - Once limited to the Western United States and Mexico, House Finches are now found from coast to coast, and as far north as southern Canada. In 1939 a few of the birds, originally captured in Santa Barbara, California, were set free on New York’s Long Island by a pet store owner. Although House Finches are well adapted to dry climates, they still need a lot of water. On especially hot days, they can consume more than their own bodyweight in fluids.
a. Read a book set in the western United States or Mexico.
b. Read a book where the MC drinks a lot of water.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of H and F (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters HOUSE in it.

8. Yellow-Rumped Warbler - This is one of the most abundant birds in all of North America, and by far the most common of the 50 varieties of warbler. They are one of the first signs that spring migration is ramping up. If you see one Yellow-rumped Warbler, chances are good you'll see others. During spring and fall migration, these birds often forage in groups.
a. Read a book where the MC has an abundance of something (could be physical or nonphysical like an emotion)
b. Read a book where the MC goes out with a group of friends to eat.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of Y and W (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters WARBLER in it.

9. White Breasted Nuthatch - White-breasted nuthatches have short tails, white undersides and are bluish gray on top with a dark cap. Whenever you see a bird going headfirst down a tree trunk, it’s probably a nuthatch. They are a nonmigratory bird and form long-term bonds.
a. Read a book where the MC spends time upside down (think yoga, gymnastics, aerobatic flying, amusement park rides, etc.)
b. Read a book where the MC has a long-term relationship.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of W and N (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters WHITE in it.

10. Wood Thrush - These birds do not come to feeders but frequent backyards that are near wooded areas. Unlike many songbirds, males do not practice "song matching" but instead will respond to a rival's song with a different song of their own. These birds are prone to nest parasitism by Brown Headed Cowbirds, but accept the foreign eggs and raise them as their own.
a. Read a book where the MC loves to sing.
b. Read a book where the MC adopts a child.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of W and T (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters THRUSH in it.

Completion Posts
✔️6. Black Capped Chickadee
Book: The Love Wager by Lynn Painter
Date read: August 3
Pages: 315
Task: b. Read a story where a character hides things.
How it fits: MMC hides his true feelings for a majority of the book.

✔️7. House Finch
Book: Forget Me Not by Julie Soto
Date read: August 15
Pages: 352
Task: a. Read a book set in the western United States or Mexico.
How it fits: Set in Sacramento, California

✔️8. Yellow-Rumped Warbler
Book: Beneath This Mask by Meghan March
Date read: Aug 9
Pages: 302
Task: a. Read a book where the MC has an abundance of something (could be physical or nonphysical like an emotion)
How it fits: FMC has an abundance of tattoos

✔️9. White Breasted Nuthatch
Book: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Date read: Aug 7
Pages: 425
Task: d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters WHITE in it.
How it fits: Red, WHITE & Royal Blue

✔️10. Wood Thrush
Book: Real Sexy by Meghan March
Date read: Aug 5
Pages: 250
Task: a. Read a book where the MC loves to sing.
How it fits: Both MCs are singers — MMC is a famous singer and FMC gets signed to a record label during the book

Done with set 2!

Here are your badges for Bird Set 2!

Bird Set 3:

11. Brown Headed Cowbird - This is a sturdy blackbird with an unusual approach to parenthood. Females do not build nests but use all their energy for producing eggs, sometimes over three dozen per summer. They lay their eggs in other birds’ nests, who become their chicks’ foster parents, with usually at least some of their foster parents’ chicks being victims in the process. Heavy parasitism by this species has pushed some birds to be "endangered" and has affected other populations as well.
a. Read a book where the MC gives up a child for adoption.
b. Read a book whose cover is more than 50% brown and black.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of B and H (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters BROWN in it.

12. House Wren - This is a very small, plain brown bird with a loud and insistent voice. Wrens will harass and peck at much larger birds, sometimes dragging eggs and young out of a nest site they want. House wrens are very famous for their rich bubbly song which is commonly heard during the nesting season.
a. Read a book with a MC who has a very loud and insistent voice or who is otherwise very aggressive.
b. Read a book with a character who has a rich, bubbly personality (your interpretation).
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of H and W (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters WREN in it.

13. Northern Cardinal - The female Northern Cardinal is one of the few female North American songbirds who sing. The male cardinal fiercely defends its breeding territory from other males - if it sees its reflection in glass surfaces, it will frequently spend hours fighting the imaginary intruder. The Northern Cardinal is the state bird of seven states.
a. Read a book with a female character who sings.
b. Read a book where a male character fights to defend his or her territory (could be a love interest, a work project, a sporting title, etc.)
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of N and C (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters NORTHERN in it.

14. Golden Crowned Kinglet - These tiny birds are barely larger than a hummingbird but can survive to 40 degrees below zero. Their nest is a well-concealed hanging cup suspended from a conifer branch. Males defend their nesting territory by singing.
a. Read a book where the MC survives temperatures below zero.
b. Read a book where the some of the action takes place in a pinewood forest.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of G and K (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters KINGLET in it.

15. Blue Jay - Both male and female Blue Jays appear to be a brilliant, lavender-blue with a dazzling pattern on the wing bars - but it is a trick of the light that makes the blue color visible. Their feathers are actually brown. Blue Jays fly very slowly compared to other birds by keeping their body and tail at the same level - a feature quite peculiar to the Jay. They particularly love to eat acorns.
a. Read a book where the MC does/doesn't see or do something because of a trick of the lighting.
b. Read a book where a character flies a slow plane - like an old biplane or a smaller recreational plane.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of B and J (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters JAY in it.

Completion Posts
✔️11. Brown Headed Cowbird
Book: Cruel Seduction
Date read: Aug 31
Pages: 384
Task: b. Read a book whose cover is more than 50% brown and black.
How it fits: 65% black cover

✔️12. House Wren
Book: Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams
Date read: Aug 28
Pages: 368
Task: d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters WREN in it.
How it fits: series name WhEN in Rome

✔️13. Northern Cardinal
Book: When in Rome by Sarah Adams
Date read: Aug 27
Pages: 320
Task: a. Read a book with a female character who sings.
How it fits: FMC is a pop star

✔️14. Golden Crowned Kinglet
Book: What Lies Beyond the Veil by Harper L. Woods
Date read: Sept 5
Pages: 419
Task: b. Read a book where the some of the action takes place in a pinewood forest.
How it fits: MC is on the run and spends a lot of time in the forest. "the sun shone through the canopy of pine trees above us" -pg 106

✔️15. Blue Jay
Book: Caraval
Date read: October 11
Pages: 407
Task: a. Read a book where the MC does/doesn't see or do something because of a trick of the lighting.
How it fits: There are multiple instances of people performing in Caraval using light to trick what the MC thinks she sees. In one instance she thinks she sees a woman being attacked but instantly darkness comes in to block her view.

Done with this set!

Here are your badges for Bird Set 3!

Bird Set 4:

16. Dark Eyed Junco - These birds are called Snowbirds because they usually emerge in the winter season. Because of their high population (estimated at 630 million individuals!), their relative tameness, and their affinity for back yard bird feeders, the Dark-eyed Junco is one of North America's most recognized birds.
a. Read a book with a MC who is a snowbird - living in the north in the hot summer months and maintaining a southern home for the cold winter months.
b. Read a book with a MC who lives in a city with a population over 5 million (list here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...)
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of D and J (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters JUNCO in it.

17. Tufted Titmouse - This bird can be identified by its gray crest,
black forehead and bill, large, black eyes and rusty-orange flanks. When cracking open nuts and seeds, tufted titmice hold the seed in their feet and hammer them with their bill. Tufted titmice move along branches and over the ground by jumping and hopping. When flying, their flight path is direct and not undulating.
a. Read a book whose cover has gray, black and orange on it.
b. Read a book where the MC jumps or hops a lot.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of T and T (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters TUFTED in it.

18. Chipping Sparrow - Adult birds are gray below and an orangish-rust color above. The chipping sparrow is a voracious eater, particularly during the cold months, and will eat 70 times its weight in seeds during the winter. The chipping sparrow can replace the feathers on its throat and face up to six times each year.
a. Read a book with a character who has a voracious appetite (your interpretation).
b. Read a book where the MC shaves their face frequently.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of C and G (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters COMMON in it.

19. Red Bellied Woodpecker - The male red-bellied woodpecker displays red on both its nape and crown. In comparison, the female red-bellied woodpecker has red on its nape but not its crown. The red coloration found on the belly looks like nothing more than a light wash of red. Although they primarily eat insects and other invertebrates, they have also been known to devour small birds, fish, frogs, and bird eggs.
a. Read a book where the MC wears a red hat.
b. Read a book where a character eats fish or frog(legs).
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of R and W (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters BELLIED in it.

20. Ruby Throated Hummingbird - Ruby-throated hummingbirds are very fast flyers and are capable of beating their wings as much as 50 times per second. When constructing the small cup-shaped nest out of plant materials and spider silk, the mother hummingbird keeps it pliable. She will stomp down the base, but leave the walls of the nest slightly flexible. This will allow the nest to stretch as the baby hummingbirds grow.
a. Read a book where the MC generally moves very quickly.
b. Read a book where a character has or wears rubies.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of R and H (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters RUBY in it.

Completion Posts
✔️16. Dark Eyed Junco
Book: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Date read: Oct 29
Pages: 372
Task: b. Read a book with a MC who lives in a city with a population over 5 million
How it fits: MC lives in Paris, France

✔️17. Tufted Titmouse
Book: How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
Date read: November 16
Pages: 419 pgs
Task: a. Read a book whose cover has gray, black and orange on it.
How it fits: gray, black, and orange on cover

✔️18. Chipping Sparrow
Book: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
Date read: November 28, 2023
Pages: 576
Task: a. Read a book with a character who has a voracious appetite (your interpretation).
How it fits: Celaena is undergoing physical training and has a voracious appetite as a result

✔️19. Red Bellied Woodpecker
Book: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Date read:
Pages: 432
Task: b. Read a book where a character eats fish or frog(legs).
How it fits: Dorian eats fish

✔️20. Ruby Throated Hummingbird
Book: Finale by Stephanie Garber
Date read: Oct 22
Pages: 478
Task: b. Read a book where a character has or wears rubies.
How it fits: Scarlett wears a skirt covered in rubies

Done with set 4!

Here are your badges for Bird Set 4!

Bird Set 5:

21. Cedar Waxwing - Cedar Waxwings are named for the waxy red tips on the end of their secondary feathers. The number of wax tips and their size increase as the bird gets older. They LOVE to eat fruit, and can even survive on fruit alone for several months! Cedar Waxwings don't have a real song. Instead they make a quiet trilling or buzzing sound. They eat in shifts. One group will eat first and then moves out of the way for the next group to come in. This is very polite compared to most birds, who just try to grab what they can individually.
a. Read a book where the MC loves to eat fruit.
b. Read a book where the MC is very polite.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of C and W (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters CEDAR in it.

22. Baltimore Oriole - The oriole's striking orange-and-black plumage makes it one of the most recognizable North American species. Maryland has called the Baltimore Oriole its state bird since 1947, and has given it special protections since 1882—36 years before congress passed the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The Baltimore Oriole’s basket-like hanging nest is one of the great wonders of the avian world. Over five to eight days, females weave together whatever strong fibers they can find—grass, weeds, animal hair, string—until the nest is completed.
a. Read a book with a cover that is mostly orange and black (small amounts of other colors okay but it should be pretty obviously orange and black).
b. Read a book where a character does basket weaving.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of B and O (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters ORIOLE in it.

23. Eastern Bluebird - The Eastern Bluebird was first described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish naturalist and zoologist. The female Eastern Bluebird is the dominant bird in their relationship. The male will often do everything that the female wants him to do – including any home improvements to the nest and even hunting for food. Both male and female bluebirds have blue feathers on their wings with red breasts, but you can tell them apart by the color of their throats: males have a red throat, while females have a grayish-blue throat with white spots on it.
a. Read a book where the female is the dominant partner in a male-female relationship (could be a marriage, partnership or other kind of relationship like business...)
b. Read a book with a male character who wears a red tie OR with a female character who wears an outfit with white polka dots.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of E and B (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters EASTERN in it.

24. Pine Siskin - Pine Siskins have a fondness for the seeds of pines and other conifers like cedars, larch, hemlock, and spruce. Pine Siskins flit about in the topmost canopy of seed-bearing trees. They'll often cling upside down to branch tips to empty hanging cones of their seeds. Unusually convivial and unterritorial, they sometimes nest in loose colonies, continuing to forage in flocks away from the nests. Males sing from high perches and during circular courtship flights. Pine Siskins sometimes migrate in flocks of several thousand.
a. Read a book where a MC spends a great deal of time upside down, for work or for recreation.
b. Read a book where the MC is part of a mass migration.
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of P and S (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters PINE in it.

25. Rose Breasted Grosbeak - The Rose-breasted grosbeak is a large seed-eating bird in the cardinal family. Colloquially it is called "cut-throat" due to its coloration. It is primarily a foliage gleaner and can live up to 24 years in captivity. These birds are active during the day spending their time foraging in shrubs, and trees or catching insects in flight. They usually keep to the treetops and only rarely can be seen on the ground. Rose-breasted grosbeaks are serially monogamous and form pair bonds that last during the breeding season.
a. Read a book with a cut-throat character (your interpretation).
b. Read a book with a character who is serially monogamous (faithful to one partner at a time but changing partners regularly).
c. Read a book by an author with first and last initials of R and G (in either order).
d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters ROSE in it.

Completion Posts
21. Cedar Waxwing
Book:
Date read:
Pages:
Task:
How it fits:

✔️22. Baltimore Oriole
Book: The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
Date read: Dec 11
Pages: 345
Task: d. Read a book whose title or series name has all of the letters ORIOLE in it.
How it fits: thE vIOLin cOnspiRacy

✔️23. Eastern Bluebird
Book:
Date read:
Pages:
Task:
How it fits:

24. Pine Siskin
Book:
Date read:
Pages:
Task:
How it fits:

✔️25. Rose Breasted Grosbeak
Book: Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
Date read: Dec 10
Pages: 648
Task: a. Read a book with a cut-throat character (your interpretation).
How it fits: The main character is a trained assassin.

In progress