I have another bird skull for you to identify this Friday – much smaller than last week’s:
Any idea what it might be from?
I should have access to the internet this week, so I’ll do my best to respond to your questions. Good luck!
Zygoma
Adventures in natural history collections
Zygoma 
Looks like a small passerine. The bill doesn’t seem heavy enough to be a finch, however the way the upper and lower mandibles are configured in the photo suggests a substantial bill sheath. The infra-orbital foraminae are distinctive, but I expect that’s subject to a lot of individual variation within a species. I’ll be interested to see how the guesses develop.
Actually, there’s a vague sort of pheasanty-gamebird look to it, but it seems very small.
Maybe C—-n-x?
Great observations! I believe that you are right that there is a fair bit of intra-specific variation in infra-orbital foraminae
Nice broad nares like that? I’m going with Meadow Lark.
That was my first thought!
Cluck cluck!
The scale is in centimetres not inches!
Haha… oops!
Wait a second… this poor bird has lost half its distinctive frown! Are we looking at a slightly damaged Quail?
That was where my third post of the morning was leading.
I don’t think it’s quite like a RLP and it’s a bit like a *u*n*c* but not quite.
Crikey Jake, I can work out what an RLP is but I’m struggling with *u*n*c*! Even more challenging than identifying the skull!
Sometimes I think figuring out the clues and guesses without the skull is the game!
I’m thinking a variety of the California state bird.