a few birds from the USA - Illinois (1 Viewer)

[Michał Jaro]

I have a request for help in identifying several birds in the USA - Illinois area. The very big one on the tree, some kind of eagle, I think? 6641 and 43 the same bird.

 

[Butty]

Could you give the dates, please? Thanks.
1. Chunky enough to be a(n immature) bald eagle. Wouldn't rule out it being a Buteo.
2. Impossible? I guess someone might have ideas about what it might be, but I doubt it could ever be identified.
3-4. I'd guess blue jay.

 

[Michał Jaro]

Thanks Butty !
1. It was realy big bird - so i think eagle
2. do these yellow tail feathers tell nothing ?

 

[Butty]

It was realy big bird - so i think eagle

Judging the size of a lone bird is notoriously unreliable. If all the people in the world who had seen a Buteo and thought they had seen an eagle-sized bird had actually seen an eagle... umm, there would be a lot more eagles in the world than there actually are!

do these yellow tail feathers tell nothing ?

Are they tail-feathers? Or legs? Or (for some odd photographic reason) not really yellow anythings at all? From a single fuzzy I really couldn't say. How about a yellowlegs? - even though I don't think it otherwise looks like one. As I said, someone else might have an idea that's more credible.

 

[nartreb]

1. I would guess red-tailed hawk. Not sure what tree species, but eagles like big branches.
2. I would guess the yellow is feet/legs, no other comment
3/4 blue jay looks a good shout - not a mockingbird for example (white wing patches would be visible) or anything else I can think of off the top of my head but about that shape and size of bird (based on wing shape & in-flight posture)

 

[Butty]

eagles like big branches

Agreed - and I also thought that branch looks kinda feeble. But the bird's got that rugged chunky look...

Have you got any other photos (even if you think they're worse) of the raptor? - especially with the head/bill side-on to us?

 

[la_ravachol]

2. I doubt a reliable ID is possible, but does anyone think this can be a waxwing?

 

[qwerty5]

No. 1 looks superficially OK for a juvie Bald Eagle, but I can't say for sure it's not something else.
I think the yellow in No. 2 is the legs of the bird, but I don't think it's possible to get an ID from this picture.
I would say Blue Jay for 3-4 as well. I can see a hint of white near the edge of the tail, and possibly an eyeline, especially in No. 3. The shape looks good for Blue Jay as well.

 

[Michał Jaro]

thank you all for your interpretations, unfortunately I don't have any other pictures of the 'eagle'. One species is certain, I acknowledge (Blue Jay). As for the yellow-legged one - aren't such legs peculiar to some species?

 

[Butty]

the yellow-legged one - aren't such legs peculiar to some species?

How about a yellowlegs? - even though I don't think it otherwise looks like one.

 

[GardenHeart]

I would say
1. Immature bald eagle or possibly a red-tailed or red-shouldered hawk?
2. Robin?
3-4. Blue jay is a very good guess

 

[AveryBartels]

While I agree that photo 2 is perhaps not identifiable with 100% certainty I think there is a pretty strong case for a Waxwing. The overall chunkiness/proportions look like a songbird to me and there are not many that have bright yellow legs like this, in particular that would extend beyond the tail/be so evident. The yellow tail tip, and paler grey rump with more brownish back are both spot on for a Waxwing. The linked image is much higher quality but shows the rump/back contrast nicely.

ML191463191 - Cedar Waxwing - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML191463191; © Jay McGowan; Seneca, New York, United States

macaulaylibrary.org

Agreed with others on Bald Eagle and Blue Jay for the other images.

 

[nartreb]

On second thought: 1) probable eagle (in which case it is young and should be Bald). Something about the posture: the way the tail meets the wings. Easy to be wrong from a single photo but it does look eagle-ish despite what seems to be an unlikely perch.
2) waxwing. The yellow is not feet after all: too thin and linear, plus it seems to continue to the right. I didn't think the yellow of a waxwing tail would show that brightly (I never seem to see it in the field) but Avery pointing out the rump contrast has me convinced.
3) blue jay as previously agreed

 

[qwerty5]

Now that Avery has mentioned it, I can see that No. 2 does fit a Waxwing. In looking closer at the yellow, it extends to to the birds right wingpit, so it's not the bird's feet.