[Tweeters] Help with Bird ID?

[Steve Hampton]

My money is on juv Brown-headed Cowbird, the most generic looking bird
there is!



On Sun, Jul 23, 2023 at 8:24 AM <jimbetz at jimbetz.com> wrote:


> Hi,

>

>    I'm trying to 'get it right'.  I've had this particular kind of bird

> showing up at our feeders, and now fountain, for at least two years.  I've

> been calling it a house sparrow - but not confident in that.  Let me

> describe the bird to you:

>

>    Overall grey color, no distinct bands of color anywhere.  Never any

>      bands of white or black anywhere on the body or head.  "It's that

>      grey bird."  No apparent changes due to seasonal differences or

>      age of bird.

>    The same overall size as a sparrow or a finch.  A touch 'longer'?

>      Sometimes pretty small (juveniles?).

>    Body shape a little bit 'streamlined' - not ever plump but also

>      not skinny.  Just 'trim'.

>    Bill and head are the same as a sparrow or finch.

>    Behaviors are essentially the same as sparrows or finches.  Sometimes

>      on ground (like sparrows) but more often in the bushes, at the feeder,

>      or at our bubbler fountain.

>    Not 'vocal'.  Not mute but not 'always singing'.  Sounds are more

> 'chirps'

> than 'songs'.

>    Often in twos or threes but usually one at a time.  Does not fly in

> small

>      flocks like the Goldfinches.  Never in large flocks.  They do not 'fly

>      together' (usually).

>    Common - here several times a day.  And here pretty much 'whenever you

>      might expect to see a sparrow or finch' (meaning year round for us).

>    Perhaps - not sure of this - just a bit more skittish than the rest of

> the

>      birds here (a slight tendency to flush more easily).

>    If I had to pick I'd say it mostly feeds on seeds rather than insects

> But I might be wrong about that and only basing it upon what's available

> here in our yard - that's true of all of the birds here.

>

>    Other birds we see all the time are sparrows (3 or 4 different types),

> finches (including goldfinches), siskins (less common), chickadees,

> Juncos, grosbeaks, waxwings, robins, towhees, even the occasional

> jays and flickers and other larger birds.  And Anna's (always Anna's).

>

>    We live on a hill that is mostly houses.  The West side is forested

> but we live on the East side where all the houses are.  Many/most of the

> yards are grass and planted non-native species (decorative) but the

> undeveloped areas are firs, pines, and lots of alder.  Quite a bit of

> the hill is blackberry bramble (wherever it has been cleared and then

> left alone for 5 or more years - "unmaintained").  Our house is at

> most a city block or so from a couple of the undeveloped area.  Many of

> the trees in the yards are 20 feet tall.  The house is about 300 feet

> above the valley floor.

>

>    Soooo, any guesses about these birds?

>                                             - Jim in Burlington

>

>

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-- 
​Steve Hampton​
Port Townsend, WA  (qatáy)
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