identify these, hahaha

[youngbirder92]

here are 3 pictures up for grabs. Have fun!!! All were taken in North Carolina

[Tim42]

The first one looks like a Brown-capped Rosy Finch, but they're only in the Colorado area. The second one I have no clue, maybe a baby Turkey vulture. The third one looks like an Orange-crowned Warbler, but I can't really tell without seeing the face. Contgrats! These are real STUMPERS! B (:

[youngbirder92]

sorry, none of those are right. good try on the first one though. second one is not a baby turkey vulture, good guess on the 3rd but OCWA isnt right.

Hints:
1. an abnormal something
2. it is a baby bird of some kind that nests in man made bird houses
3. your in the right family, but wrong genus

[Jacamar]

#1's shape reminds me of a Dark-eyed Junco, but I can't find any subspecies that match the coloring that this bird has.

#2: Eastern Bluebird?

#3. Ringed Warbler? ;)

[youngbirder92]

good guess on 1 and 2 Jacamar. but not right. dont have Ringed Warbler here.

[cuckooroller]

totally guessing, some kind of aberrantly colored Sparrow (Fox?), something from Corvidae - Cyanocitta?, an immature or female Parulid - got me on the genus.

[youngbirder92]

Corect on #1 cuckooroller!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good Job it is an aberrantly colored Fox Sparrow.
2. not in corvidae, but good guess
3. you right, it is a female Parulid, but what species???

here are some links to some lenghty explanations by expert birders about bird #1

http://www.duke.edu/~lois/mystery/tove1.htm

http://www.duke.edu/~lois/mystery/rising.htm

http://www.duke.edu/~lois/mystery/kaufman.htm

http://www.duke.edu/~lois/mystery/paulson.htm

[streatham]

Hi Young,

How did you reach the conclusion #1 is a Fox Sparrow? I thought you must have new ID information. Neither Paulson or Kaufman seem to find this a likely solution - two pretty experienced birders. Luke

[youngbirder92]

Streatham,
Look at Tove's description. To me his theory of a Fox Sparrow is backed up by more information than the others. His description gives several good points that strongly suggest that this is indeed an abnormal Fox Sparrow. Kaufman and Paulson didn't suggest a specific bird species, just threw around some ideas and didn't give a definitive answer. So I'm going with Mike Tove here because like I said earlier his description and reasoning for a Fox Sparrow was more thorough than the other descriptions and was also backed up by more information. But you can call it what you want, since there was alot of disagreement on this bird when it was first seen. |=)|

So now let's move on to the next two.

[M Cowming]

No.2 Purple Martin

[youngbirder92]

No.2 Purple Martin


Good Job!!!!!!!!

now for # 3

[JANJ]

Genus Oporornis or Geothlypis, Common Yellowthroat (?)
JanJ

[youngbirder92]

yes good job