Red/brown medium-sized bird, London SE20 (UK) (1 Viewer)

[ClaudiusMaximus]

This bird was hopping about on the branches of the sycamore tree outside my window this evening, and I have no idea what it is.











There was another bird about twice the size with slightly lighter colours with some bright coloured patches (blue/grey I think) and a tuft on the top of the head around at the same time, but it was too nimble for my camera and flew out of sight.


Are there any websites that have bird identification tools with a series of questions that lead on to other questions depending on what the answer to the previous questions is (like I used in biology lessons at school for identifying insects)? Even the name of this type of questionnaire would be useful so I can use a search engine to find one. Otherwise I'll have to keep posting here and annoying you all

 

[Andrew Rowlands]

Hi CM,

Do you have a field guide?

This is a juvenile of a common Turdus (thrush family) species.

See if that helps you to narrow it down some?

If you don't have a field guide, you might like to try the Gallery or Database here.

Cheers,

Andy.

 

[ClaudiusMaximus]

I didn't think of searching the gallery, oops, and I didn't notice the database until you mentioned it - thanks Andrew. It looked similar to this:

So it's a juvenile Blackbird

As for a field guide, I don't have one, sadly. I should get one, but in the meantime I have requested the garden birds booklet from RSPB: http://www.rspb.org.uk/gardens/booklet/

 

[Andrew Rowlands]

I didn't think of searching the gallery, oops, and I didn't notice the database until you mentioned it - thanks Andrew. It looked similar to this:

So it's a juvenile Blackbird

As for a field guide, I don't have one, sadly. I should get one, but in the meantime I have requested the garden birds booklet from RSPB: http://www.rspb.org.uk/gardens/booklet/

You found it CM . Beats being told - you get to learn things quicker.

BF is (as you're just starting to notice) a very big site; I've been hanging around here since March of 2003 and I still haven't checked everything out!

Those young Blackbirds are a bit variable in colour, wait 'til you see your first young male starting to moult into adult plumage (happens from about July - September -ish each year, I think), they are distinctly bi-coloured.

When you're looking for a field guide, perhaps the first thing to do is lookup a bird you are familiar with - if it doesn't look 'right' to you, put the book down and look for another.

i'm sure the RSPB leaflet will tide you over until you're ready for something with more comprehensive coverage.

Cheers,

Andy.