Twite confirmation from description (2 Viewers)

[01101001]

Would be quite rare now in the region, so just in case.

Brownish finch, roughly the size of Siskin (Siskins were perched on a nearby conifer), relatively dense black streaking on breast and flanks with rectangular area on belly left unstreaked, no yellowish tones whatsoever on underparts, yellowish supercilium above darker eye stripe, crown somewhat darker brown than underparts, no red poll seen, double buff wingbar, not confident about the beak colour, but when the sun shone through it (twice), it was clearly yellow. I saw a paler area (rather greyish than rosy) at the rump, but I thought I was seeing things, until I read about this feature of Twite (my ID is based mostly on the yellow beak when backlit, the double wingbar and this). No photos, as I had no camera, only a smartphone, and taking photos against the background of someone's window while leaning against the fence would be a bit awkward anyway. I hope to return there later, so no ID is fine by me.

Other (reasonably common) candidates include Common Linnet and Common Redpoll. My assumption is a female/immature Twite. There was also a second bird nearby, but I lost sight of it. Thanks in advance!

EDIT: today, Warsaw area, in someone's garden (in a town with big gardens and scattered housing; a lake, forest and marshy tract nearby; fields some way off); relative beak size is one thing I failed to note; the bird appeared somewhat fluffed up, but maybe it depends on other factors as well

 

[z-ben]

Twite are quite a bit larger than Siskin they look like plump Linnet well some around Derbyshire do.These sound like Redpoll to me going on size alone.

 

[KenM]

Whenever I’ve noted Twite (not often), yellow bill apart, the “ground” wash to the upper/lower parts is a distinctive yellow ochre…quite different from linnet.

Cheers

 

[01101001]

Twite are quite a bit larger than Siskin they look like plump Linnet well some around Derbyshire do.These sound like Redpoll to me going on size alone.

Maybe a female/immature (surely not male) Common Redpoll (other redpoll species are even rarer than Twite), although I think there were no reddish tones to the brownish hue on the crown. Also--in most photos--Common Redpoll has a pale/white, not clearly yellow, supercilium and an unstreaked upper breast, whereas I distinctly remember that three sides of the belly had streaking (the upper breast and both flanks). I had no bins, but the bird was quite close to me--little more than 2 metres--and it gave extended views.

Whenever I’ve noted Twite (not often), yellow bill apart, the “ground” wash to the upper/lower parts is a distinctive yellow ochre…quite different from linnet.

Cheers

I'm not sure if the belly was whitish or tan; all of my (almost) field notes are above. Any of the three would be a lifer for me.

EDIT: I also wonder if the beak wasn't obviously yellow otherwise than when backlit because it was in transition to grey? The eyebrow was surely yellow, not sure about the rest--so much for the yellowish wash you mentioned.

 

[dantheman]

It's pretty hard helping from a description. This video may be helpful -

Identifying Linnet and Twite

Picking Twite out from Linnets can be a real ID headache. Let this workshop help you do that with confidence.

www.bto.org

If at close range, Linnet should be fairly easily ruled in or out - they are pretty distinctive.

 

[01101001]

Thanks for the film, I'll watch it when I get home.

OK, I think I remember the belly was uniformly beige, so not Common Redpoll, I guess. Can a Linnet show a double wingbar and paler patch at the rump? I'm afraid any bill viewed against the sun could appear yellow (happy to be proven wrong, though).

EDIT: I'm afraid none of the above exclude Linnet, including the underparts colour (and underparts of Twite are in many cases apparently paler than in my bird), number of wingbars and rump. I think I should leave it here unless I refind the bird.

 

[Butty]

These sound like Redpoll to me going on size alone.

Judging the size of a lone bird is notoriously unreliable.

 

[01101001]

Thanks for the film, I'll watch it when I get home.

OK, I think I remember the belly was uniformly beige, so not Common Redpoll, I guess. Can a Linnet show a double wingbar and paler patch at the rump? I'm afraid any bill viewed against the sun could appear yellow (happy to be proven wrong, though).

EDIT: I'm afraid none of the above exclude Linnet, including the underparts colour (and underparts of Twite are in many cases apparently paler than in my bird), number of wingbars and rump. I think I should leave it here unless I refind the bird.

As above, I think it was quite probably (though not certainly) a Linnet because the pattern of the underparts streaking (unstreaked rectangle left out in the middle--aka pale central belly stripe) is also much better for Linnet.

EDIT: Thanks all! A Linnet for me, but I wouldn't tick it as is.

 

[01101001]

it's Friday evening, so I'm posting it for Saturday Fun already
size comparison courtesy of RSPB's bird guide

 

[z-ben]

Maybe a female/immature (surely not male) Common Redpoll (other redpoll species are even rarer than Twite), although I think there were no reddish tones to the brownish hue on the crown. Also--in most photos--Common Redpoll has a pale/white, not clearly yellow, supercilium and an unstreaked upper breast, whereas I distinctly remember that three sides of the belly had streaking (the upper breast and both flanks). I had no bins, but the bird was quite close to me--little more than 2 metres--and it gave extended views.


I'm not sure if the belly was whitish or tan; all of my (almost) field notes are above. Any of the three would be a lifer for me.

EDIT: I also wonder if the beak wasn't obviously yellow otherwise than when backlit because it was in transition to grey? The eyebrow was surely yellow, not sure about the rest--so much for the yellowish wash you mentioned.

It's not easy to get close to Linnet but can be done in the vicinity of a nest ( accidently) Twite I have always found impossible to get close to to me they are a fantastic true wild bird !
Good luck !

 

[aeshna5]

It's not easy to get close to Linnet but can be done in the vicinity of a nest ( accidently) Twite I have always found impossible to get close to to me they are a fantastic true wild bird !
Good luck !

That's not my experience with Linnet. My local ones are relatively approachable & I'm able to watch them feed from just a few metres.

 

[Prestdj]

It's not easy to get close to Linnet but can be done in the vicinity of a nest ( accidently) Twite I have always found impossible to get close to to me they are a fantastic true wild bird !
Good luck !

approachable sometimes, but they yes truly wild, due to climate change these were part of a group of 60+ in the south pennines last winter

 

[Richard D]

It's years since I've seen a Twite. Rare enough now in Kent to be a description species for the local Ornithological Society.