topic Re: Need help with bird ID in Home

Need help with bird ID

depglass — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 15:35:05 GMT

We have seen the most unusual birds this year, evidently they don't live around here. (UP of Michigan) White breast and head, grey on back. What is distinctive is there is a white stripe going down each wing that forms a V on the top of the tail. Larger than a robin. We can't find this in our Audobon book.

Re: Need help with bird ID

Bird mama — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 15:39:30 GMT

Is it about the size of a mourning dove?

Re: Need help with bird ID

Bird mama — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 15:46:12 GMT

Depglass - check out this link from national geographic. I answered a couple of questions - location, season seen, colors of bird (grey/white) and basic size (Robin). 40 birds came back as possibilities.

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/backyard-bird-identifier/

Re: Need help with bird ID

Clover29 — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 15:52:22 GMT

Northern mockingbird?

Re: Need help with bird ID

depglass — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 21:59:36 GMT

No, its not the mockingbird. Bird mama, I'm going to your link now and will report back.

Re: Need help with bird ID

depglass — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 22:19:57 GMT

Most perplexing. I ran through the questions four times, varying the size from sparrow to robin and grey to brown. Nothing. Perhaps these birds were lost, we've never seen them before and they were only here about 3 or 4 days. Or could they be immature and these aren't the final feather colors. I guess I need a police sketch artist. I will never forget the white V. Thanks for this link, I'm sure we can use it in the future. DH says these were the size of sparrows, I go along with the mourning dove size.

Re: Need help with bird ID

madzonie — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 22:37:14 GMT

White winged dove? We get both the mourning & white wings here is SE AZ.

edit: I tried twice to post a pic of a white winged dove, but it would not take...sorry.

Re: Need help with bird ID

sandy53 — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 22:52:59 GMT

Could it be a shrike?

Re: Need help with bird ID

Annabellethecat66 — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 22:54:55 GMT

I don't know the answer but (like you, and others) I enjoy watching the birds. I have several feeders on the part of my back porch where it isn't screened.

The birds come to feed on the widow feeders.

It's fun to look at the posters I have of the different birds and try to recognize them.

Re: Need help with bird ID

Nana5 — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 00:47:58 GMT

Sorry, I'm no help in ID-ing your bird but I also love to bird-watch. What confuses me is that the same bird can look different depending on it's maturity, whether it's a male or female, or even the time of the year (for example, goldfinches are beautifully yellow in the spring/early summer then they turn dull golden brown.)

Re: Need help with bird ID

depglass — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 17:01:28 GMT

I checked shrikes and thrushes. The least they could have done was stick around, they were beautiful.

Re: Need help with bird ID

Harpa — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 17:25:58 GMT

Here's another ID guide, if you want to try that. Did you see them on the ground? Or, on a branch? That helps in identification, too. Were they at a feeder? At first, I thought of mockingbird, too. If small (like a sparrow), then revert to the warblers. I think you need the Peterson guide.

http://www.discoverlife.org/20/q?guide=Birds

Re: Need help with bird ID

ChynnaBlue — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 18:01:28 GMT

If you can get a picture, you can post it to a bird watching forum and probably get a response.

Re: Need help with bird ID

depglass — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 21:01:30 GMT

Unfortunately we haven't seen them in the past several days. They were on the ground, picking heaven knows what out of our gravel driveway and the grass next to it. We were just losing the last of our snow. I'm going to check the link Harpa left, I'm also going to vary location in the Nat Geo link. I think they must have been lost. We are on a north-south flyway for ducks and geese, we get a lot of those passing through.

I'm going to have to wait until I pick up my computer from the shop. I'm on DH's, and the links just aren't working. I don't dare mess with it too much, as it is his work computer.

Re: Need help with bird ID

Luv_My_Beagle — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 21:48:01 GMT

This is a snow bunting? Sorry for the enormous picture!!

Re: Need help with bird ID

Harpa — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 21:57:20 GMT

Larger than a robin would be 10-13"". A gray jay? (Not too many birds have a white head.)

But that doesn't account for the white stripes on the wings.

#425 in the Audubon book.

#426 - Gray Kingbird...?

Re: Need help with bird ID

Luv_My_Beagle — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 23:28:37 GMT

The bird you describe is likely not the snow bunting based on the size you describe.

Wild Birds Unlimited has a nice description for bird lovers...

http://lansingwbu.blogspot.com/2014/01/bird-of-week-snowflake-birds.html

Re: Need help with bird ID

Harpa — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 13:38:19 GMT

On 4/23/2014 Luv_My_Beagle said:

The bird you describe is likely not the snow bunting based on the size you describe.

Wild Birds Unlimited has a nice description for bird lovers...

http://lansingwbu.blogspot.com/2014/01/bird-of-week-snowflake-birds.html

Good sleuthing, Luv_My_Beagle! The white plumage is their summer dress. They are known for their flashing white wing patches.

#547 in Audubon. No wonder you couldn't find this, depglass!

Re: Need help with bird ID

Luv_My_Beagle — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 17:40:52 GMT

I hope we find out if this was the bird! I love buntings!

Re: Need help with bird ID

depglass — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 17:47:19 GMT

Photo above is by far the closest. The feathers were lighter and the white V was more distinctive, going into the tail. What size is this one? I'll have DH look when he gets home. I'm so excited this might be it. The fact this Wild Birds Unlimited site is out of Lansing is a good sign. Same state, 450 miles away.