Please help us identify this bird seen at the P Ranch, in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon, USA. 17 June, 2011. It was possibly about House Finch size. The photo shows the bird from the front, with a very vivid golden breast color.
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Unknown bird Malheur, Oregon, USA (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter BillB
- Start date
Hmmmm ... That's a tough one. Perhaps a blackbird bill though nothing else seems to fit with that (yellow-headed blackbird) or any thing else that I'm familiar with. I've been to Malheur and throughout the west and nothing matches. But then again it's Friday evening and .... hopefully fugl or some of the other aces on western birds will chime in.
phil baber
Clipped Wing
Or a long-billed Barn Swallow, after a "straight-cut scissors job on the tail-streamers...!"
A 2nd look in the bright light of an early morning ... Bullock's is certainly the only thing that makes sense but, and this is a big but, there's much not consistent with Bullock's. As Andy notes no hint of color in the outer tail feathers and that extensive black on the breast, as well as the yellow are off. Perhaps some kind of genetic freak or a hybrid?
Larry Lade
Moderator
I am wondering if the bird might be a Cliff Swallow? (Their breast is not always white (the golden breast might be due to some substance), but the bill does not look quite right??) Just thought I would "throw this in the ring".
JWN Andrewes
Poor Judge of Pasta.
The tail, when closed, can appear black ( http://www.outdooralabama.com/watchable-wildlife/what/Birds/bfa/buo.cfm ) and that extensive black is the back, not the breast.
As for the yellow rather than orange rump, could that be age related?
James
Larry Lade
Moderator
James, to me, it looks like the bird is giving us a frontal view.
Frozen-in-MN
Well-known member
The poster indicated it's a front view - which I agree, but can see how you can look at it that way.
Might be helpful - From Cornell's lab site:
"Immature male with orange-yellow face, a black bib, black stripe through eyes, a dusky top of head and back of neck, striped back, and orange tail."
Explains the black chest, but not the black tail.
It does look like an Oriole beak to me.
Might be helpful - From Cornell's lab site:
"Immature male with orange-yellow face, a black bib, black stripe through eyes, a dusky top of head and back of neck, striped back, and orange tail."
Explains the black chest, but not the black tail.
It does look like an Oriole beak to me.
Hard to think what else it could be. Try as I might I can’t turn it into a meadowlark!
On a third inspection, I agree that this is from the back with the yellow rump displayed. And, as others have noted, the yellow is consistent with it being a first year bird (immature male Bullock's).
If it were a front view (which is what I first thought and many others do too), the black in the front would be far more extensive than the 'black bib' that's characteristic of the immature male.
JWN Andrewes
Poor Judge of Pasta.
Be that as it may, this is a back view. I doubt if there's anyone on this forum who's never misread a bird in the field, gods know I have, and in this instance th OP has. Take a close look at where the branch and the bird intersect; the bird is in front, ergo it is facing away from the photographer. Bullock's Oriole, dorsal view.
James
EDIT - Cross post with Steve, glad I'm not alone!
Frozen-in-MN
Well-known member
I initially took that to be feathers overlapping the branch, but I can be convinced you're right - makes more sense.
I think we're all agreeing on the Bullock's.
I think we're all agreeing on the Bullock's.
Thank you all for your time on sorting this out. After re-examining this photo (and a few others of very poor quality) I agree that the view is of the bird backside (my wife still maintains it is a front view). It is hard to understand why the tail appears all black; lighting maybe? Also, is it possible that this is a hybrid oriole?
Regards, BillB
Regards, BillB
JANJ
Well-known member
Isn´t the subject bird shot from behind. If that is the case this might be the bird, which is suggested by some:
http://www.pbase.com/gunes/image/111038594
JanJ
http://www.pbase.com/gunes/image/111038594
JanJ
The Falcon
Registered Birder
It is definitely a Bullock's Oriole.
