topic Re: Bird I.D. help in Garden

Bird I.D. help

nomar — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 01:12:20 GMT

This is the second year we have had a strange looking bird eat with us during the winter months. I cannot find him in my books and have not looked on line. I think he might be of the sparrow family, but maybe not. He is between the size of a cardinal and large sparrow. Very dark rusty brown markings with a white chest and long tail. But, the most unusual thing is, he has a top knotch just like a cardinal. He seems to be the only one, as I have never seen two at a time. Any ideas?

Re: Bird I.D. help

receptionist — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 01:41:34 GMT

I'm thinking it's a titmouse. I saw our first one just last year.

Re: Bird I.D. help

NickNack — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 01:46:51 GMT

Is there more than one type of titmouse? A tufted titmouse is gray.

Edited to add: I just looked at allaboutbirds.org and found the oak titmouse. Receptionist might be right, and that's it, except that it sounds smaller than what you describe. You should go there and look it up. It's a great website. It will also tell you what areas of the country the birds will be found in. You might be able to find your bird on that website.

Edited again: Look up Cedar Waxwing. I think that might be it.

Re: Bird I.D. help

Caffeina — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 02:30:26 GMT

A fox sparrow?

Re: Bird I.D. help

receptionist — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 02:56:17 GMT

I've held a Cedar Waxwing when it hit our dining room window. What a beautiful bird! I think Caffeina is right. So, I change my vote from titmouse to fox sparrow...

Re: Bird I.D. help

nomar — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 03:05:22 GMT

Thanks everyone. I have gray titmouses (mice ) and he not that. I thought he was a fox sparrow too, but no stripes on chest unless he is a different breed. Very close with length of tail and color. We do not have Cedar Waxwings in this part of the country, but I would give anything to see one in life. I think they are the most beautiful bird I have ever seen. I will try the website suggested here. Sure would like to know what our visitor is. We also have had (3rd year for her) a female cardinal that is white from her head to below her chest. She only shows up when it gets way below freezing. (part albino??)

Re: Bird I.D. help

NickNack — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 03:12:49 GMT

Let us know if you figure out what bird it is.

Re: Bird I.D. help

receptionist — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 03:26:05 GMT

I also would like to know what that bird is.....we have an albino robin that has come around for the last two years. I am such a bird lover...have held woodpeckers, cardinals, orioles, waxwings, juncos, catbirds and don't get me started on the hummingbirds....love, love, love! I had a hummingbird land on my shoulder...what a treat!!

Re: Bird I.D. help

05gage25 — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 03:49:40 GMT

On 2/19/2015 receptionist said:
I also would like to know what that bird is.....we have an albino robin that has come around for the last two years. I am such a bird lover...have held woodpeckers, cardinals, orioles, waxwings, juncos, catbirds and don't get me started on the hummingbirds....love, love, love! I had a hummingbird land on my shoulder...what a treat!!

My dad was a hummingbird lover, too! He always had so many in his backyard at all his feeders he hung out for them. Once when he was out there, he found a hummingbird lying on the ground. He carefully picked it up and held it gently in his hand. It rested there for a minute or two then flitted away. He was so thrilled.

Re: Bird I.D. help

HappyDaze — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 08:44:10 GMT

I'd like to know what area you live in to help you determine it. Sounds like it could be a flycatcher of some sort (google ashthroated flycatcher to get an idea). Birds will also take on different colors depending on the time of year so they can look completely different from summer to winter.

ETA: Here is a fun website I like to use to help my identify birds. http://identify.whatbird.com/mwg/_/0/attrs.aspx

Re: Bird I.D. help

Harpa — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 14:44:53 GMT

When you say he eats with you, is he eating at a feeder or on the ground? That will often pinpoint what type of bird it is.

Sparrows flit around in branches, but never go to feeders. Cardinals do.

Re: Bird I.D. help

Bird mama — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 15:22:46 GMT

Actually sparrows will go to feeders.

Re: Bird I.D. help

NickNack — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 15:26:33 GMT

Sparrows will definitely go to feeders.

Re: Bird I.D. help

shill718 — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 15:37:02 GMT

Definitely not a cedar waxwing or tufted titmouse. What area of the country do you live in? Looks like a member of the thrush family, maybe a hermit thrush.

Re: Bird I.D. help

JustJazzmom — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 16:38:39 GMT

Sparrows go to feeders and eat off the ground too.

I love the dark eyed juncos -- dark charcoal gray with white breasts and orangey beaks.

They migrate from Canada to Long Island and back again in the warmer months to Canada.

Re: Bird I.D. help

ChynnaBlue — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 17:31:40 GMT

Any chance you could take and post a picture of the bird? That would really help you get a match.

Re: Bird I.D. help

NeNe1010 — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 17:56:13 GMT

Brown Thrasher maybe?

Re: Bird I.D. help

nomar — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 18:28:24 GMT

Thanks for all the suggested possibilities. No, not a Thrasher. We have a pair of them nest every summer. He is smaller than that, but the deep dark rust color is right. He scoots around the ground and kicks up his feet like a Junco does and only eats from the ground. I cannot get a pic because he seems so timid and flys away if we even look out the window at him for a minute. I am in Mid Missouri and he comes every winter during the really cold weather. I have been on that wonderful site of What a bird. Looked under brown birds and small birds. No luck yet. Will get on the All about birds site next. Thanks for those web sites. Maybe he IS a fox sparrow with a bad hair-do. But it is always standing up on top (like a crest) and he has a ruffled appearance to his dark reddish brown bib at his neck and upper chest. I am obsessed with finding his breed. Maybe is is just an odd bird of his breed is why he is always alone.

Re: Bird I.D. help

maximillian — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 18:35:42 GMT

Could it be the female cardinal? She is not nearly as bright as the male. It would explain the tuft on the head and the size sounds about right.

Re: Bird I.D. help

JustJazzmom — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 18:35:57 GMT

Fox sparrows have longer narrower tails than regular house sparrows.