Bird ID from North Slope, Alaska (1 Viewer)

[Dickie Byrd]

I took this picture of what I initially thought was a Gray Jay at the Gubic Gas Field on Chandler River, a tributary of the Colville River, north of the Brooks Range, Alaska. The bird was seen on the verge of what is usually classified as the Extreme Arctic Coast.

The long fan shaped tail, chin whiskers, and hooked beak tip, (along with the colors, of course), when I took a good look at the picture on the computer told me I was wrong. I also think it is just a bit small to be a Gray Jay.

According to my book, The Sibley Guide to Birds, the juvenile or femail White-winged Crossbill comes the closest to matching this bird. But the brest coloration does not match well and the absence of chest and side bars isn't right. Also, my book does not show nor mention the chin whiskers seen on this bird.

Can anyone help me identify this bird please. Thank you.

 

[Mick Harris]

Is it a Northern Shrike(Lanius excubitor)?

 

[bitterntwisted]

Hi Dickie,

I think that this is a Northern Shrike a little older than the previous, http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=108235

What time of year was the photo taken? That would give a clue to age which would explain some of the plumage features which probably don't match the pictures in your book well.

Graham

 

[Jim M.]

It is a Northern Shrike. Looks to be a bird transitioning from juvenile to adult plumage.

Best,
Jim

[EDIT: Posting at the same time as Graham. Photo indicates it was taken May 26 of this year.]

 

[Dickie Byrd]

Thank you Graham. The coloration in my book is for the Northern Shrike shows a definate black bar from the bill through the eye onto the neck. I bypassed that page since my bird has an almost all black head. (I sure wish some of the side shots had turned out - but it was always behind one of the tree limbs.) I generally have the date as part of the file name, but I had changed that. The picture was taken July 12, 2007. This could be a stage between young juvenile and adult.
A posting by Jim Moore says it is a Northern Shrike and looks like one between the Juvenile and Adult stage.

I appreciate the help.

Dickie

 

[Dickie Byrd]

Jim:
The picture was taken July 12, 2007. May is a bit early to be up on the Arctic Coast taking bird pictures. There is still a lot of ice up that way yet.
Thank you for identifying it for me. I think I could have done it myself if I had stopped at the Northern Shrike page, but since my bird is light on the bottom and dark on the top I skipped right past it. I like the Northern Shrike identification because it does range up there where I took the picture.

Dickie

 

[Jim M.]

The picture was taken July 12, 2007. This could be a stage between young juvenile and adult.

Juvenile plumage lacks the black mask but also the gray back. This bird appears to largely lack a mask, but it does have a gray back. So I think that does support the idea that it is in a transition phase; or perhaps it is a first winter bird.

By the way, the EXIF data associated with the photo indicates it was taken May 26, 2008. That is apparently incorrect. Quite strange.

best,
Jim

 

[jbm32206]

I agree that it's a northern shrike with juvenile plumage