[MLoyko]

Sorry no picture, but on my way to school today leaving the gas station a small bird flew by my truck. It was smaller than a robin. It was pretty much slatecolored on the back, tail, and head of the bird. The head and tail looked slightly darker from my angle. The tips of the tail feathers were white and so was the breast and belly. It looked like the wings were sort of swept back when it went to glide in between periods of wingbeats.

I hope you can help. Thanks

edit: this was in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. Whitehall township

[J. Moore]

Originally Posted by MLoyko

Sorry no picture, but on my way to school today leaving the gas station a small bird flew by my truck. It was smaller than a robin. It was pretty much slatecolored on the back, tail, and head of the bird. The head and tail looked slightly darker from my angle. The tips of the tail feathers were white and so was the breast and belly. It looked like the wings were sort of swept back when it went to glide in between periods of wingbeats.

I hope you can help. Thanks

edit: this was in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. Whitehall township

Have you considered Eastern Kingbird or perhaps Eastern Towhee?

Best,
Jim

[MLoyko]

Originally Posted by J. Moore

Have you considered Eastern Kingbird or perhaps Eastern Towhee?

Best,
Jim

I think it was an eastern kingbird because it didn't have the orange of the towhee, I actually did think of that right when I saw it but couldn't confirm until now

[Terry O'Nolley]

By "tips of the tail feathers" did you mean the terminal band or the outer edges?
If outer edges, you could consider Dark-eyed Junco.

[MLoyko]

I know what you you mean, but I'm gunna say terminal band but I not really up on the terminology yet, but I do know what you mean and it wasn't a dark-eyed junco. (Im pretty familiar with them, watched them all winter)

[ovenbird43]

The "wings swept back" while gliding in between wingbeats is characteristic of Eastern Kingbird... I'll agree with that ID.

[Jeff hopkins]

I think kingbird is right. A junco in the Lehigh Valley right now would be a very unusual sighting. The only place you'd have even the slightest chance would be up on the Blue Mountain. MLoyko where did you see the bird - in a more open habitat, like near farm fields or a more wooded habitat?

And to clarify, if the white runs parallel to the long axis of the tail, that's "white outer edges." (like a junco). If the white forms a band at the end of the tail, essentially perpendicular to the length of the tail, that's a "white terminal band."

[MLoyko]

Ok thanks, I'm sure now that it was a kingbird. If I'm not mistaken jeff, you mentioned a while back that you also live in whitehall so you would know where I saw it. I was pulling out of the sheetz up by Cementon and it was flying close to me towards the parkway.