Yellow bird query

[redclanger]

I have had this query on another unrelated forum - my suggestions haven't satisfied. Can anybody help please?

I spotted an unusual bird in the garden this morning. A bit bigger than a House Sparrow, bright yellow (think lemon skin) with a black hood and a few black markings on the wings, no other obvious markings. I think it had a finch type beak which didn't show up against the black hood. The bird in question was on the lawn eating either bread or raisins (no other food present), heavy frost so don't think it would have found any insects. Tried to get a picture but in my excitement just managed a blur Sad

[Reader]

I have had this query on another unrelated forum - my suggestions haven't satisfied. Can anybody help please?

Could it have been a Siskin?
http://www.first-nature.com/birds/carduelis_spinus.htm

[Bluetail]

There's a variety of Canary that would fit that description.

[redclanger]

Could it have been a Siskin?
http://www.first-nature.com/birds/carduelis_spinus.htm
Siskin was my suggestion - got a big no the poster gets lots of those.

Starting to think it is an escapee - won't be around long.

I have since found out she is near Edinburgh.

[KnockerNorton]

From that description, almost certainly an escaped canary. They come in all sorts of colour combination, but a blackish hood and odd black marks on the wings sounds typical. Also the size....Siskin indeed! One Hell of a big siskin.

[Ken Hall]

From your description, it could be a Black-headed Bunting. Only element of doubt is the colour of the back, which would be brownish. Even a blurry photo would help. This bird is a vagrant to UK, so a sighting would certainly be unusual, but possible. Anyone know if this species is kept as a cage bird?
Ken

[London Birder]

Black-headed Bunting was/is regularly kept as a cage bird

[Jos Stratford]

Or an escaped weaver of some sort.

[Larry Lade]

I thought that it might be an escaped "bishop".

[postcardcv]

My first though was an escapee weaver too.

Perhaps something like a village weaver - http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/57021/sort/1/cat/all/page/1

[KnockerNorton]

Read the description, people. Bright yellow, black on head, some black on wings, no other markings (eg no reddish back, greenish back etc), finch-like bill. So from that we can infer it was *yellow all over* except for a bit of black on head and wings. That's a canary. There's nothing else that it could be, in lieu of a better description that contradicts this.

[Jos Stratford]

Read the description, people. Bright yellow, black on head, some black on wings, no other markings (eg no reddish back, greenish back etc), finch-like bill. So from that we can infer it was *yellow all over* except for a bit of black on head and wings. That's a canary. There's nothing else that it could be, in lieu of a better description that contradicts this.


Offord, take a look at the link in Postcard's post above - then read the description again ...I think ay reasonable person could see more than a passing similarity! The description 'bright yellow' is broad enough to cover both your suggestion and that by others ...without better description we simply don't know, but a weaver can't be dismissed.

[2spot Ladybird]

Hi folks, I'm the person that posted the original query that Redclanger is referring to.

I've read through all your replies and would like to see pictures of some of the birds referred to eg,

Larry Lade have you got a picture of or a link to a picture of a "bishop"?

Poecile have you got a picture or a link to a picture of a "Canary" that fits that description?

And how do I post my blurry picture?

[Jos Stratford]

And how do I post my blurry picture?


This would be the easiest way for us to help you ..you will be surprised that even a very blurry picture might let us point you in the right direction, be the bird a canary, weaver or anything else.

First you need to reduce the size of your picture (max 800x800 I think), then press 'reply' to this post. On the new display, you will see a box 'Manage attachments' - follow the instructions to attach the photo. Hope that helps.

[Reader]

If you have a picture it would be best to post it to this thread. that way we can all get to look at it and pass judgement on the ID.

The way to attach a photo is to click on the go advanced button, type out what you want to say then look below the submit reply and you will see a manage your attachments button. Click on this and you will see a Browse button come up. Click on this and then select the file you want to attach and click on it. You then click on the Upload Button and hey presto you have your photo showing. Don't have the photo too big. I usually attach mine at about 640 x 480 size.

[delia todd]

And how do I post my blurry picture?

Hi 2spot Ladybird and welcome to Bird Forum.

Jos's advice should help you with putting your picture on here - any problems just come back and ask again (we've all been there) ;)

D

[2spot Ladybird]

Here goes,

My mysterious yellow bird:

[Jane Turner]

Looks like a Weaver to me

[Jos Stratford]

Oo, that is rather blurred :)

I'll agree with Jane and stick to my suggestion of weaver. Is the bird still visiting? If so, another picture would help ;)

[2spot Ladybird]

Hi Jos, Bird is still visiting hope to get more pictures tomorrow, assuming it comes back again.

[Larry Lade]

Well, the "bishop" is not your bird!

They do come in yellow and black, orange and black. Here is a photo of a "bishop", sorry if I misled you.
Click here (http://www.birding.ch/cgi-bin/fotos/welt/img/197.jpg)

[Larry Lade]

The photo sort of looks like a painting by Monet! ;)

Maybe a canary or weaver, as others have suggested.

[2spot Ladybird]

No Yellow Bird this morning |8(| . Birds have been very nervous both this morning and yesterday morning, last time they were behaving like this there was a Bird of Prey around. Don't know what kind of BoP, didn't see it but think it may have been a Peregrine judging by the sudden shower of Pigeon feathers (not this time round, last time). Hope Yellow Bird is just keeping safe and hasn't become someone's dinner.

Here's a bit more about how Yellow Bird looks.

Size: Between House Sparrow and Starling in size and looks chunky, could be fluffed up due to cold weather.

Colour: Bright yellow with black hood starting at nape and extending down over the throat and onto breast in an elongated narrow 'V' shape. Wing, tail and mantle colour similar to that of Red-headed Bunting. Eye and beak are dark. Not sure about legs.

Flight: Fast, direct and not undulating.

Not sure what else I can add to description any pointers appreciated.

[KnockerNorton]

Offord, take a look at the link in Postcard's post above - then read the description again ...I think ay reasonable person could see more than a passing similarity! The description 'bright yellow' is broad enough to cover both your suggestion and that by others ...without better description we simply don't know, but a weaver can't be dismissed.

Hence the caveat Jos! And the goalposts keep moving! That pic could be a weaver, I'll admit. And the 2nd description is much more weaverish. Note to 2spot though: the black on the head is a 'mask', not a 'hood'. It's an important difference in terminology.

So, masked weaver? I can't think of any canary mutations that would produce a mask - see examples on here for what i was mentioning before:
http://www.rus-canary.ru/img/canary.jpg
http://rus-canary.ru/img/bird5.jpg
http://www.petcaretips.net/tweet_canary.jpg

[London Birder]

the black forming an elongated V onto the breast is good for Masked Weaver, though not neccessarily all the features ...

[Isurus]

Hi folks, I'm the person that posted the original query that Redclanger is referring to.

I've read through all your replies and would like to see pictures of some of the birds referred to eg,



Is it something like the attached?

[2spot Ladybird]

Hi Isurus, not enough black on the head of your weaver, head was more like the picture of the Black-headed Weaver in the Bird Database but with the black forming an elongated 'V' on to the chest but without the orange colour on the chest, beak is also too heavy.

I've looked through all the Weaver pictures in the Database and the vast majority are completely wrong, eg, beak too heavy, wrong eye colour, not enough black, too much black, some even tail too short.

Also looked through Finches and Buntings and the closest I found amongst those is the Red-headed Bunting but of course the head is the wrong colour and the bit of colour extending on to the chest is too wide.

My own thoughts are some sort of hybrid Weaver or a Black-headed/Red-headed Bunting hybrid.

[2spot Ladybird]

Yellow Bird is still around |=)|, although not visiting my garden anymore. Saw it this morning when I was taking my daughter to nursery, it was with a small flock of House Sparrows about a quarter mile from my house. It's good to see Yellow Bird is still around or perhaps there's more than one!