Bird with stretching neck, Phoenix, AZ (1 Viewer)

J

Juju222

Active member

• Apr 10, 2008

• #1

Wow! I saw a weird bird this morning. No photo, sorry. I was walking near a lake and saw the bird on the grass near the water. It was a dark brown with no major significant markings that I could see. About the size of a robin.

Then, it started stretching its neck!! From nothing to about 4 inches!!! Bizarre. The neck was a lighter brown than the rest of the body. Then it flew off.

Any ideas?

 

J

Jim M.

Member since 2007

Supporter

• Apr 10, 2008

• #2

How long were the legs and bill? Do you know if it was a shorebird/sandpiper or a heron/egret? Could you tell the shape of the bill? Did it fly fast with rapid wing beats, or slowly with labored wing beats?

Jim

 

J

Juju222

Active member

• Apr 10, 2008

• #3

It was definitely not an egret/heron type bird. Much smaller. Initially I thought it might be a robin/blackbird type. The legs were shorter than a sandpiper. Body was stout.

I should have said that it didn't seem to have a neck until it started stretching it out...more like it was growing before my eyes. Imagine a bird like a finch (with essentially no neck) and all of a sudden it starts "growing" a neck almost as long as its body!!

I'm sorry I didn't pay attention to the flight, but I would say more rapid than slow wing beats.

 

Last edited: Apr 10, 2008

J

Jim M.

Member since 2007

Supporter

• Apr 10, 2008

• #4

Did it look like this bird (a female Great-tailed Grackle)?:

http://www.montezumabeach.com/images/birdwatching-greattailedgrackle-female.jpg

Jim

 

J

Juju222

Active member

• Apr 10, 2008

• #5

That is a possibility...though I would put its size at maybe 10"

 

Last edited: Apr 10, 2008

J

Jim M.

Member since 2007

Supporter

• Apr 10, 2008

• #6

A female Great-tailed Grackle measures about 15 inches long, including the long tail. They are quite common in your area, and would be likely to be seen on a lawn.

If a bird is on the ground in a relaxed pose, it may elevate its neck as far as it can when it sees you coming so it can assess the threat you pose. Grackles do seem to have pretty flexible necks, so I would not be surprised if you did see an approximate 4 inch difference. Anyway, that is my best guess at this point.

Cheers,
Jim

 

J

Juju222

Active member

• Apr 10, 2008

• #7

Ah, yes, including the tail...could have been 15".

Very interesting about the neck!! I had never seen that before and my jaw dropped in proportion to the neck growing LOL.

Thank you Jim for your help. I believe you have nailed it!

Judy