I need to identify this bird in Ontario, Canada (1 Viewer)

Zuzubird · Nov 1, 2014

Hello, i live in Burlington, Ontario Canada. About month ago this bird has been in our backyard and still around. ( October 2014) It looks like a American Robin. Although it is all in black and there are two white rings are attached on its legs. He digs the ground look for worm. I swear its size and how he moves is exactly like American Robin.
I am just wondering what type of bird it is. The pictures i have taken is not so good quality. It is not Cowbirds,Cracklings, Starlings or Crows for sure. If you need to see more pics let me know.
Please help me to identify this little fella.
Thank you.

Andrew Whitehouse · Nov 1, 2014

Welcome to BirdForum. Your bird looks like a Eurasian Blackbird. I don't think that would be a normal bird to find in Ontario, although I think there are some Canadian records.

Edit: I suspect the fact that it has rings on its legs indicates that the bird may be an escape from captivity.

delia todd · Nov 1, 2014

Hi Zuzubird and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators.

It looks very like out Eurasian Blackbird but I don't know if there are any in Canada? I'll leave others to answer that one.

Edit: LOL Andrew beat me to it!

Zuzubird · Nov 1, 2014

Do they migrate? If so where? He is all by himself here. Just wondering what is this little fella doing here? :thank you for your reply.

njlarsen · Nov 1, 2014

The thing with two black rings sounds like someone had it as a pet

Niels

Zuzubird · Nov 1, 2014

He has two white rings on his legs.

KC Foggin · Nov 1, 2014

I'm with Niels. Someone had it as a caged bird and it is now out in the wild.

Zuzubird · Nov 1, 2014

Oh noo,

AdrianB73 · Nov 1, 2014

I agree with Eurasian blackbird, which would be a very exciting find if it was a genuine vagrant, but the banded legs do suggest an escaped pet.

Zuzubird · Nov 1, 2014

Would this bird be able to survive in Canadian winter?

AllanM · Nov 1, 2014

It may not. They are mainly sedentary but birds from the north of Europe may move south a little during the coldest winters.

KC Foggin · Nov 1, 2014

Well, you might want to try what I did to catch an escapee Lovebird. I borrowed a large cage, which should have a pretty large door for your bird and place it a bit higher up (maybe a back porch/deck, fill it with seed and leave the door open, It took two days but the bird finally went into the cage and I was able to close the door and then bring it to pet shelter. Not sure they would know what to do with it though. It's probably got a life of being caged from there on in.

Nutcracker · Nov 1, 2014

Zuzubird said:
Would this bird be able to survive in Canadian winter?

They are as hardy as American Robins (and closely related). So if you get any American Robins staying for the winter, this could too. But having said that, a previously caged bird won't have much experience in coping with life in the wild, so its prospects aren't good.

fugl · Nov 2, 2014

Re live-trapping, try raisins for bait. Eurasian Blackbirds aren't seed eaters.

KC Foggin · Nov 2, 2014

Good point fugl.

Nutcracker · Nov 2, 2014

Live mealworms would be even better.

stonechat1 · Nov 2, 2014

Nutcracker said:
They are as hardy as American Robins (and closely related). So if you get any American Robins staying for the winter, this could too.

Agree, the average temperature doesn´t seem to be a problem for the bird. not in summer nor winter.

Nutcracker said:
But having said that, a previously caged bird won't have much experience in coping with life in the wild, so its prospects aren't good.

Disagreed.
There are lots of exotic birds, and former pets, who are doing fine even during winter like Ring-necked Parakeet, Monk Parakeets, Jendaya P., even amazons and Mandarin Ducks.
This bird will not have problems to join American Robins and visit feeders with them. They will sure enjoy suet feeders, fat balls, berries and apple halfs.

Is it even legal to catch the property of others and to ursurp it?
@Zuzubird: Can you upload other photos of the bird please where the band/rings are visible? Would like to get a view on them, thanks!

Nutcracker · Nov 2, 2014

stonechat1 said:
Disagreed.
There are lots of exotic birds, and former pets, who are doing fine even during winter like Ring-necked Parakeet, Monk Parakeets, Jendaya P., even amazons and Mandarin Ducks.

I'd meant to elaborate, but didn't get round to it - the major risk to it will not be low temperatures, but predators (Cooper's Hawk and cats, in particular), which escaped captive-bred cagebirds rarely recognise as a danger. The vast majority of escaped cagebirds don't last long, it takes a lot of escapes for odd ones to learn to survive and start breeding ferally (I'd suspect too, that the ones that do establish, were originally imported wild-caught birds, not captive-bred).

Peter C. · Nov 3, 2014

Zuzubird said:
Would this bird be able to survive in Canadian winter?

Deep in the south (i.e. where you are), yes, many Robins do well right through the winter. However, this year, our crop of wild fruit is not good at all, so it could have trouble in that department. However, if it "adopts" a flock of wild robins, it may well be led to good sources of food.

I'm with Nutcracker, it is the lack of experience avoiding predators (cats!) that is more likely to be a disadvantage.

Peter

Tiraya · Nov 3, 2014

My 2008 Canada bird book notes that American Robins often fly south, but in recent years warmer temperatures are convincing them to stay.

I need to identify this bird in Ontario, Canada (1 Viewer)

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