Need help identifying bird in Dufferin County, Southern Ontario. (1 Viewer)

[Wen]

Last evening, two birds in birch tree. Black plumage, size of pileated woodpecker, wedge tail, woodpecker type beak, red patch on rump. Closest bird I can find that resembles them is a Black Woodpecker (except the Black Woodpecker has a red patch on head) and apparently found in Europe. I have checked all my bird books, on line, even A.I. but no luck.

 

[gsimonel]

I wonder if they were escapees. There's nothing native to your area that matches your description, which sounds like a red-rumped cacique.

 

[Wen]

I wonder if they were escapees. There's nothing native to your area that matches your description, which sounds like a red-rumped cacique.

Thank you! That's them !! Your escapees suggestion may very well be correct. They flew from the tree, and then noticed I was watching them on the deck and they circled and flew over me. I had the impression they weren't totally wild. I was going nuts trying to figure out what they were.