Friday, November 12, 2010

Need Bird ID



This bird has been hanging out in a friends garden for a few days. He's never seen one like it at his feeders and he gets quite a variety of birds. This is the best picture he's gotten so far. Can anyone tell us what it is? It's smaller than a crow but bigger than a North American Robin.

7 comments:

The Wessex Reiver said...

Hi Oldcrow, I think, but hard to tell from the photo this may be a female Brewers Blackbird - I'm only 80% sure so will be interested to know if somone else has a better ID. The males have a very pale eye and purple sheen to their heads. they make a distinctive call, described as a "craak"

oldcrow61 said...

Thanks Andrew, I'll pass this along to my friend. The call you describe does sound much like the sound my friend was trying to mimic.

ShySongbird said...

Sorry OC, I have no idea other than the fact the shape and size looks very much like our Blackbird except for the colour of the beak.

Victoria said...

I'm sorry, OC, I don't know. It looks sort of like a Fish Crow, but if it is it would hundreds of miles north of its range, which is the US southeast.

oldcrow61 said...

Shy Songbird, It certainly seems that it's some type of black bird.

Victoria, I'd say it is a bird that's been blown off course. Not one that should be here. I'm waiting to hear back from my friend as to what he thinks of these comments.

Stewart said...

Hi OC. It is definately one of the North American 'Blackbirds'. The triangle pointed bill gives that bit away - but which one?

It looks most like a Red winged Blackbird on shape but with no red wing (unless this is hidden in the flank feathers? or its a young one). Brewers Blackbird isn't usually found in the far north east according to the Nat Geographic Guide?

Can you get a profile photo where it isn't against the sky?

oldcrow61 said...

Stewart, thanks for the information. I told Gary what you said and he's going to try to get another picture of the bird. He says the call isn't that of a Brewers or a red wing.