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Black bird with white underwing with black border (2 Viewers)

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Flatlandmom

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I am in upstate South Carolina. In late October on four different occasions, I saw a stout all black bird flying fast in a straight line, not too high, wing action like a duck, emitting harsh squawks rapid fire in even tone. It was flying from wooded area with a small river. It impressed me as a water related bird, It was about crow size, but fuller bodied. Here is the kicker - its underwing was white with a black border evenly all around. I can find nothing like it. Some have suggested pileated woodpecker, but it did not have that head, no other markings, and pileateds' white underwing goes all the way to the front wing edge with no black border. I'm sure this bird must have been migrating through our area. Any ideas?
 
Flatlandmom said:
I am in upstate South Carolina. In late October on four different occasions, I saw a stout all black bird flying fast in a straight line, not too high, wing action like a duck, emitting harsh squawks rapid fire in even tone. It was flying from wooded area with a small river. It impressed me as a water related bird, It was about crow size, but fuller bodied. Here is the kicker - its underwing was white with a black border evenly all around. I can find nothing like it. Some have suggested pileated woodpecker, but it did not have that head, no other markings, and pileateds' white underwing goes all the way to the front wing edge with no black border. I'm sure this bird must have been migrating through our area. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

The only bird that I could find (bit of a long shot), that remotely might be a candidate albeit smaller c10”...a Common/Hill Myna, two introduced species that are rapidly increasing, particularly the former in Southern Florida?

Cheers
 
Common Gallinule (Moorhen) comes to mind - it has some white in the wing, more like a white border on a black wing than vice versa, but could maybe give an impression of more extensive white in fast flight? Though they don't fly often so might be unlikely on four separate occasions?

Another possibility might be American Oystercatcher? Though a quick look at Wikipedia suggests it's more restricted to coastal areas than its European counterpart... and I would have thought you'd have noticed the big, bright red bill! Or a last long-shot possibility, maybe a male Ring-necked Duck?!?
 
Fast, straight flying whilst squawking sounds like a wader (shorebird) to me. How about a willet? That's about crow-sized and the wing markings could just about match the description.

Michael
 
Dawsy said:
Fast, straight flying whilst squawking sounds like a wader (shorebird) to me. How about a willet? That's about crow-sized and the wing markings could just about match the description.

Michael
Click to expand...
Interesting idea, but the habitat (upstate, woodland stream) doesn't fit, particularly not for repeated sightings. Spotted Sandpiper might, but that's much smaller.
 
Is it possible that you mistook the upper wing for the underwing? If so, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck would be a good fit to your description.
 
Nutcracker said:
Interesting idea, but the habitat (upstate, woodland stream) doesn't fit, particularly not for repeated sightings. Spotted Sandpiper might, but that's much smaller.
Click to expand...

Good point, I didn't read the original properly. I saw a mention of water and ignored the rest...
 
jmepler said:
Is it possible that you mistook the upper wing for the underwing? If so, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck would be a good fit to your description.
Click to expand...

I don't think so. It was not very high and I concentrated on the one identifier I could see, which was the bottom of the wing as it went directly over my house. Thanks, tho.
 
Dawsy said:
Fast, straight flying whilst squawking sounds like a wader (shorebird) to me. How about a willet? That's about crow-sized and the wing markings could just about match the description.

Michael
Click to expand...

Looked up Willet. No, my bird was solid black, no long legs, no markings except the white centered underwing. Thanks for reply
 
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