I think it's some kind of duck... They take off as soon as they see me so I can't get a photo. Both are black with tiny barely noticeable white feathers at the wind. One... I figure is the male has a 1 inch to 2 inch patch of Red under the eye. I've searched photos and none of them has a bird with red under the eye. They are waterfowl because they are hanging out in the creek behind my warehouse with some mallards. I'm in Portland Oregon. Thanks Kelly
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Help Identifying bird - Oregon (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter jimicaps
- Start date
Phil Carter
Well-known member
Moorhen perhaps.
Phil
Phil
stonechat1
New member
Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata) comes in my mind. Bu I don´t understand what you mean with "barely noticeable white feathers at the wind".
probably a typo, I think Kelly meant at the wing
nartreb
Speak softly and carry a long lens
Consider a double-crested cormorant - big orange patch under the eye. No white on wing but the primaries can look pale by comparison with the rest of the bird... Not likely to panic at human approach though: more likely to dive than to fly. Edit: if it's a small creek, forget it, cormorants like water deep enough to submerge in.
Muscovy duck is more likely - a black duck with actual red on face (sometimes just under the eye) and white patch on wing.
Moorhen is brown, not black, and the red is on the forehead, not under the eye.
Muscovy duck is more likely - a black duck with actual red on face (sometimes just under the eye) and white patch on wing.
Moorhen is brown, not black, and the red is on the forehead, not under the eye.
jmepler
It's just a flesh wound.
Muscovy and Double-crested Cormorant where the two birds that I thought of.
The fact that they are very wary doesn't bode well for escaped Muscovy which are typically not timid at all. Dc Cormorant on the other hand are very quick to flush when approached.
Maybe Wood Ducks? I know, they aren't black, but flying away from the observer would appear mostly dark, and they would have red on their face.
It would be helpful if we knew more about the bird's behavior. Were they diving, were they dabbling? Did they call when they flushed? Did they land in a tree? Anything else that you noticed.
Mike
The fact that they are very wary doesn't bode well for escaped Muscovy which are typically not timid at all. Dc Cormorant on the other hand are very quick to flush when approached.
Maybe Wood Ducks? I know, they aren't black, but flying away from the observer would appear mostly dark, and they would have red on their face.
It would be helpful if we knew more about the bird's behavior. Were they diving, were they dabbling? Did they call when they flushed? Did they land in a tree? Anything else that you noticed.
Mike
stonechat1
New member
Thanks, Andy.
stonechat1
New member
I experienced that Wood Ducks are very shy, at least at DeLaurier -trail in the Point Pelee NP. On the other hand I saw pairs at the channels in that area which have been sitting without hiding or getting nervous for > 10 minutes and fully aware of my presence.
I also wouldn´t describe the red eyering of this species as "a 1 inch to 2 inch patch of Red under the eye" like Kelly did, But that´s just me.
jmepler
It's just a flesh wound.
Wood Ducks in general are very wary, particularly if you walk up on them.
I was thinking more of the red on the base of the bill rather than the eye.
Mike
