Black bird with white markings

• Feb 27, 2016

• #1

cramer

Senior Member

My wife and I had a red winged blackbird show up last weekend at the feeder that had about 25% white markings.
I got a blurry picture of it, but have been hoping to see it again for a better picture.
I watched him/her on the suet a few times and at first glance thought it was just another woodpecker, until I got binoculars on it.

Very cool bird - ever seen one like that?

 

• Feb 27, 2016

• #2

Nicodemus

The Recluse

Staff member

Your sure it wasn`t a rose breasted grosbeak?

 

• Feb 27, 2016

• #3

Scotsman

Senior Member

Towhee?

 

• Feb 28, 2016

• #4

cramer

Senior Member

positive on the id
I have a picture, but it's blurry and I can't get it to upload.
never seen one like it before and haven't seen it since last Sunday.

 

• Feb 28, 2016

• #5

carver

Senior Member

Not that common but birds,like other animals can be affected by Leucism or piebald,here's a Lark Sparrow I took a pic. of in my yard,look up "Leucism in birds"

 

Attachments

• 
  DSC_0002 (3)[1].JPG

  328.9 KB · Views: 755

• Feb 28, 2016

• #6

cramer

Senior Member

trying to upload

 

Attachments

• 
  blackbird.jpg

  70.2 KB · Views: 711
• 
  blackbird 1.jpg

  141.9 KB · Views: 773

• Feb 28, 2016

• #7

cramer

Senior Member

sorry for the blurry pics - we saw it on the suet plain as day, ran for the camera and had to shoot though the storm door while it was in the tree.

 

• Feb 28, 2016

• #8

carver

Senior Member

Sure looks like it has Leucism to me.

 

• Feb 28, 2016

• #9

Hooked On Quack

REV`REND DR LUV

Nicodemus said:

Your sure it wasn`t a rose breasted grosbeak?

Click to expand...

Never seen a beak that long on a black bird ??


Think Nic mighta nailed this one, but I'm far from being a bird expert.

 

• Feb 28, 2016

• #10

Scotsman

Senior Member

carver said:

Sure looks like it has Leucism to me.

Click to expand...

Same here.

 

• Feb 28, 2016

• #11

Resica

Senior Member

Hooked On Quack said:

Never seen a beak that long on a black bird ??


Think Nic mighta nailed this one, but I'm far from being a bird expert.

Click to expand...

A Grosbeak has a shorter, more stout beak than a Red Winged Blackbird.

 

• Feb 29, 2016

• #12

Jim Baker

Moderator

Staff member

Might just be a shadow on the beak. But look at these.

I would guess female grosbeak or immature male.

I have several come to the feeders every year but only for a day or two.
And they are pretty much solitary. Blackbirds usually in groups

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Rose-breasted_Grosbeak/id

 

• Mar 5, 2016

• #13

cramer

Senior Member

There is at least one other blackbird in the second pic with the marked bird.
It was flying with a small group of blackbirds that morning and I was in and out of the living room, kept seeing it fly to the suet, thought it was a hairy woodpecker by glancing, then told my wife we had a rose breasted grosbeak out front which we get at certain times of the year, and she said, nope - that's a crazy blackbird.
I started paying attention , got binos on him and then ran for the camera, cause I knew Quack wouldn't believe me w/o a pic or a link

Anyways it was very cool and I wish it would come back, but it's probably in Nic's front yard by now - and he's out back

 

• Mar 5, 2016

• #14

shakey gizzard

Senior Member

Yep! Its a mottled juvenile red wing woodpecker!