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Mystery Bird
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: Mystery Bird
- From: Michal Skakuj <mskakuj@nc.rr.com>
- Date: Sun, 02 Mar 2003 21:24:17 -0500
- Delivered-to: pardo@metalab.unc.edu
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
Hi,
I have some notes concerning that mystery bird:
1. Pine Grosebeak - tertials are much too short for Grosebeak which has
long terial and secondaries, head shape is also wrong to Grosebeak
which has rather flat looking head emphasized by very heavy bill
2. Chestnut-collared Longspur - Longspurs have longer legs (they run
fast and for long distance), again tertials are too short for that group
Ch-c Longspur in particular has primaries slightly shorter than tertials
(in opposite to Lapland one). Our bird has primaries slightly longer
than (rather short) tertials
3. House Sparrow - they have very short primary projection
(non-migaratory species) much much shorter than tail projection (behind
tip of primaries)
4. Junco - has also rather long tertials comparing to rather short
primary projection and long tail (ca 2-3 times longer than primary
projection). In mystery bird tail is just slightly longer than primary
projection.
5. Cow Bird - even in that photographs would be visible very pointed
head shape (hence to bill) and distinctly longer bill than in our bird
and again legs would be longer and more distinct (heavier)
6. House Finch - the wing structure fit to that species a well as
feather structure on flanks and scapulars (kind of diffuse streaks) in
additional head structure - blunt bill and hint of eye stripe (again
more structural matter)
7. Goldfinch - that was the hardest to eliminate for me et least ( both
may have rather similar wing structure - short tertials and long
primaries), similar short legs however head shape is rather wrong for
Goldfinch (I would expect more pointed structure with less obvious
forehead). However the strongest argue for me is the tail structure. In
Goldfinch the uppertail coverts are long (thus tail itself is rather
short) and end behind the primary tips (tail looks more heavy-base) and
rather shorter than primary projection. In House Finch tail is longer
(with shorter tail coverts) and tail projection is slightly longer than
primaries. In addition there is some worm yellowish tinge on ear coverts
which is sometimes visible in some unusual males of House Finch (could
be more orange or yellow instead of reddish - Kaufman 2000)
8. Purple Finch - very, very similar in structure to House Finch however
I would expect heavier head with less obvious forehead and heavier bill
So I would vote for House Finch, probably male.
Mike
Shahid wrote:
>Dear Carolinabirders,
>Thanks for you responses. Here is a tally of suggestions:
>
>5 Partially albino/leucistic House Finch
>2 " Cow Bird
>1 " Junco
>1 " House Sparrow
>1 Winter-plumaged Chestnut-collared Longspur
>1 Im. Female Pine Grosbeak
>1 Albino LBJ
>
>Any more final suggestions? I will call to see if the lady is back from her
>trip and, if the bird is there, ride over to take a look.
>
>Thanks to Will Cook for posting these on the website and for those of you
>who responded!
>
>Ann Shahid
>Charleston, SC
>
>
>>
>>
>>>Dear Carolinabirders,
>>>
>>>These photos were sent to Beidler Forest, the state Audubon headquarters
>>>for SC by a woman from Bowman,SC who has been seeing this bird in her
>>>backyard.
>>>
>>>http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/pix/temp/whitebird.jpg
>>>
>>>I would like some input on identification before I tell her
>>>what I think it is. She says, "It is white with yellow head and tan
>>>neck."
>>>
>>>Thanks!
>>>
>>>Ann Shahid
>>>Charleston, SC
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>--
>>Charles W. "Will" Cook w 919-660-7423
>>http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook cwcook@duke.edu
>>Biology Dept., Duke Univ., Box 90340, Durham, NC 27708
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
--
************************************************
Michal Skakuj Ph.D.
4600 University Drive apt. 1312
Durham, NC 27707
phone: 919 402 9961
mobile phone: 919 599 3040