white bird, NE TX, USA (1 Viewer)

R

Red_Shoulder

Well-known member

• Mar 28, 2015

• #1

Thoughts? Have more photos if needed.

 

RJP

Well-known member

• Mar 28, 2015

• #2

Clearly a leucistic bird, and it is structured and behaving like something in the sparrow family. It's also quite long-tailed - but I can't really put a species name to it with much confidence.

 

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Mar 28, 2015

• #3

A leucistic Junco perhaps?

 

A

aeshna5

Well-known member

• Mar 28, 2015

• #4

KCFoggin said:

A leucistic Junco perhaps?

Click to expand...

That was my first thought too before I saw your reply.

 

R

Red_Shoulder

Well-known member

• Mar 28, 2015

• #5

What about white throated sparrow? That's my first guess. Plenty of juncos here in winter though

 

Last edited: Mar 28, 2015

Tiraya

San Diego CA

• Mar 29, 2015

• #6

It feels like a Zonotrichia, so seems to be white-crowned or white-throated (to me looks like latter).

 

steveMc

Well-known member

• Mar 29, 2015

• #7

KCFoggin said:

A leucistic Junco perhaps?

Click to expand...

I agree. Overall shape, especially the tail says junco to me.

Had a friend email a similar pic to me last year of a leucistic junco so they may be prone to it.

 

Tiraya

San Diego CA

• Mar 29, 2015

• #8

Image 3 in particular rules out junco with the streaking, brown colouration and hint of dark supercilium.

 

TLeukering

Well-known member

• Mar 30, 2015

• #9

Yes, the rusty-fringed secondaries should rule out Junco and the bird looks like a White-throated Sparrow.

 

R

Red_Shoulder

Well-known member

• Mar 30, 2015

• #10

I'm an intermediate birder but I see a lot of white throated, and that's what I was thinking as I posted. Yes, kind of feels like white throated. Suppose it could be white crowned, not as many of those around, though.

Can see why you might call it a junco, though, too.

 

steveMc

Well-known member

• Mar 30, 2015

• #11

Silverwolf said:

Image 3 in particular rules out junco with the streaking, brown colouration and hint of dark supercilium.

Click to expand...

Possibly. Though I have seen leucistic birds where what should be black is instead a brownish colour, mixed in with white feathers. Also, some juncos, females in particular can be very brown on top.

Still not sure on this one.

 

Tiraya

San Diego CA

• Mar 30, 2015

• #12

steveMc said:

Possibly. Though I have seen leucistic birds where what should be black is instead a brownish colour, mixed in with white feathers. Also, some juncos, females in particular can be very brown on top.

Still not sure on this one.

Click to expand...

As Tony notes, "rusty" not the same brown as Oregon and other juncos with brown. But anyway, I don't think any juncos have brown on this specific part of the wing to begin with. If they do it is more greyish.

 

R

Red_Shoulder

Well-known member

• Mar 30, 2015

• #13

I was thinking the other day, the juncos are gone, don't ignore flocks of dark birds. So if it's still around, especially in a month, probably not a junco (if the sparrows stay?)

It's at a feeder at somebody's house, hard to get permission to go up there, unfortunately