Brewster's Blackbird - but not sure - Alaska (1 Viewer)

[Dickie Byrd]

Hello to all from Fairbanks, Alaska, in the middle of winter.
No, I did NOT take this picture this winter. (grin) I was hunting 20 miles north of the Arctic Circle when this bird landed in a tree next to me and my camera. (Canon 30D with Sigma 70-200mm lens.) By just looking at the camera CRT I assumed it was back-lighted Gray Jay (Canadian Jay, Camp Robber, Whiskey Jack). Two days ago I got to this bird in my picture cleaning and editing.
I used Birds Of the American West by Roger Tory Peterson, The Sibley Field Guide to Western Birds, and National Geographic Field Guide To North American Birds. The closest match I could find was a female Brewster's Blackbird. But this bird was all by itself on September 21, 2007, the bill seems a little bit wrong, and the chest bars are much more promenant than any pictures in the books or on WEB sites. And it was far north of their normal range. (Roger Tory Peterson guide did mention Accidental - Alaska which is the reason I chose it.)
Can anyone confirm this is the right identification for this bird please. I sometimes send pictures world-wide and I would sure hate to send people the wrong information.
Thank you - - Dickie Byrd

 

[will@bill]

Hello to all from Fairbanks, Alaska, in the middle of winter.
No, I did NOT take this picture this winter. (grin) I was hunting 20 miles north of the Arctic Circle when this bird landed in a tree next to me and my camera. (Canon 30D with Sigma 70-200mm lens.) By just looking at the camera CRT I assumed it was back-lighted Gray Jay (Canadian Jay, Camp Robber, Whiskey Jack). Two days ago I got to this bird in my picture cleaning and editing.
I used Birds Of the American West by Roger Tory Peterson, The Sibley Field Guide to Western Birds, and National Geographic Field Guide To North American Birds. The closest match I could find was a female Brewster's Blackbird. But this bird was all by itself on September 21, 2007, the bill seems a little bit wrong, and the chest bars are much more promenant than any pictures in the books or on WEB sites. And it was far north of their normal range. (Roger Tory Peterson guide did mention Accidental - Alaska which is the reason I chose it.)
Can anyone confirm this is the right identification for this bird please. I sometimes send pictures world-wide and I would sure hate to send people the wrong information.
Thank you - - Dickie Byrd

dont know any usa birds but that one looks jay shape to me

 

[IanF]

As this is your first post I'd like to welcome you to Bird Forum on behalf of Admin and the Moderators :t:

I've moved your query to the ID section where hopefully someone will be able to help out.

Must admit that it looks more Shrike like to me - maybe Northern Shrike.

 

[Dave Hutton]

Hello to all from Fairbanks, Alaska, in the middle of winter.
No, I did NOT take this picture this winter. (grin) I was hunting 20 miles north of the Arctic Circle when this bird landed in a tree next to me and my camera. (Canon 30D with Sigma 70-200mm lens.) By just looking at the camera CRT I assumed it was back-lighted Gray Jay (Canadian Jay, Camp Robber, Whiskey Jack). Two days ago I got to this bird in my picture cleaning and editing.
I used Birds Of the American West by Roger Tory Peterson, The Sibley Field Guide to Western Birds, and National Geographic Field Guide To North American Birds. The closest match I could find was a female Brewster's Blackbird. But this bird was all by itself on September 21, 2007, the bill seems a little bit wrong, and the chest bars are much more promenant than any pictures in the books or on WEB sites. And it was far north of their normal range. (Roger Tory Peterson guide did mention Accidental - Alaska which is the reason I chose it.)
Can anyone confirm this is the right identification for this bird please. I sometimes send pictures world-wide and I would sure hate to send people the wrong information.
Thank you - - Dickie Byrd

Hi it looks like a Juv Northern Shrike

 

[robinm]

Hi and welcome to BirdForum :t:

Certainly that bill looks very shrike like to me.

 

[Jim M.]

Hi Dickie,

That is definitely a juvenile Northern Shrike, as others have suggested. Note that the black face mask is just starting to come in, as well as the thick bill and brown barring on the breast. These are cool birds, though the juveniles are often confusing to beginning birders. I think they evolved to look like other birds (the adults are often mistaken for mockingbirds) in part to fool smaller birds into thinking that a predator is not present.

Best,
Jim

 

[BirderoftheNorth]

It is actually a Juvenile Northern Shrike. They are a little confusing, as they don't resemble the adults that well. If you look closely enough though, the Shrike structure is there.

 

[Dickie Byrd]

THANKS to all for correcting my misidentified Brewster's Blackbird

When you folks all said it was Juvenile Northern Shrike I checked it in Sibley's. You are correct. I glanced at that page and dismissed it because of the hooked beak on the adult pictures. But sure enough, the juvenile is the bird I have a picture of.

Dickie Byrd