Help me ID this bird (NF)

[Joey]

Saw this bird in the backyard and have looked through my bird book and online and can't identify it. Pictures aren't that great as it was through the window, but it is basically grey all over. Dark eyes.

 

Anyone know what it is? I thought mockingbird or phoebe, but not sure!

 

Thanks

 

 

 

Joey

[Bob]

The short thick bill would preclude phoebe and mockingbird and the mockingbird has a really long tail that's very distinctive. Can't really tell you exactly what it is but the shape of the bill would suggest one of the finches or grosbeaks. What would you estimate the length to be?

[Joey]

I would say its about 5 to 6 inches long from head to end of tail Bob.

[Bob]

Could be an escapee, there are grey singing finches that are kept as pets. Doesn't look like any local wild species that I know of Joey. That would be my best guess anyhow.

[Cookslav]

Is it Blueish?....is that a camera trick or is the color acurate?

Maybe grey?

[Dave Bailey]

Hard to tell from that pic, it could be an immature bird of some sort. For now it's what birders call an 'LBJ' - Little Brown Job. Bob could be on the right track, a young rose-breasted grosbeak maybe.

[Cookslav]

The color is off from the picture I have but markings wise....size wise....it looks to be a fox Sparrow

 

[Joey]

The colour in the picture is accurate, it is gray with little other colour.

 

I thought of it being a baby of some sort, but it looks like no other bird I've seen in my yard.

 

The fox sparrow has similar markings, but is definately not gray. Hmmmmmm.

[toca]

you might have found the black sheep of the fox sparrow? or it just came from the the BP oil spill....

[Cookslav]

Apparently they can be grey....who knew??

 

 

 

Paritally Albino Fox Sparrow

[ehg]

It is a juvenille female house finch.

If you want another guess

[dave524]

It is a juvenille female house finch.

If you want another guess

 

ditto on the House Finch, males are similar but look like their head and shoulders were dipped in raspberry jello. they are quite common.

[fish_fishburn]

I'm thinking a juvenile rosebreasted grosbeak as well.

[4x4bassin]

Female house finch for sure , lots of them around my feeder . They love black sunflower seeds.

[Joey]

Cool, thanks guys.

 

Joey

[SylvanOwner]

Cool, thanks guys.

 

Joey

 

 

I forwarded this link to the ornithologist here at work and he is quite sure you've got yourself an immature cowbird....hope this helps with your obvious enjoyment of your backyard fauna

 

Dan

[Roy]

Yes, that's an immature cowbird. No doubt whatsoever.

[Spiel]

My first thoughts also leaned toward a finch of some sort but the size you suggested seemed a little large.

 

I'm no expert by any means but sometimes the best way to identify females or immature birds is to try and and spot mature males that may be in the vicinity with them.

[Fang]

Yup on the cowbird, We have them overrunning our feeder this summer and the juvenilles show up with the adults.

[Joey]

Okay, that's really interesting, I did think it might be a cowbird from looking through my bird book, but I was not certain of that either. It did not show a juvenile, but it did have the same shape and size etc.

 

I learned before when I saw my first cowbird that they are parasitic, meaning they lay their eggs in other bird's nests and let them raise them, kinda like forced adoption Then the birds rejoin their own kind later.

 

Thanks again guys, really apprecite it.

 

Joey

[ehg]

Not to confuse further but that surely is a female house finch.

Cowbirds have larger, darker beaks and are more orientated towards grass and telephone lines.

They have larger, more blotchy breast streaks for a very short time before they are gone.

 

The thinner breast streaks are permanant on house finches and they perch on home structures most often.

 

A few times last week i mentioned being an amateur ornithologist to others, as i was searching for reported five-lined skinks in north King City. Didn't find any skinks but saw a pileated woodpecker and found chantrelles

Edited August 9, 2010 by ehg