eastern Canada mystery bird (1 Viewer)

Hello -

I'm new to this forum, and hoping you all can help solve a mystery.

My husband and I have been biking in eastern Canada 2 years in a row now and seen the same bird that we have not been able to identify. Last year over Labor Day we spotted it on the Petit Train du Nord trail north of Montreal, and this year over Labor Day we saw it all along the Confederation Trail in Prince Edward Island.

Key descriptors (apologies if this is not correct bird-lingo):

- entirely dark gray body except for a white rump in flight, which is the most distinguishing feature
- about the size of a large robin
- lands upright on a tree like a woodpecker
- beak like a woodpecker
- we saw it along the trail either on the ground or in low bushes

Birds we've been able to rule out:

- Northern Flicker (the bird we've seen doesn't have spots)
- Gray Jay (too small)
- Northern Mockingbird (our bird doesn't have white on wings)

Thanks in advance... we've looked EVERYWHERE with no luck.

Amanda

Clark's Nutcracker perhaps?

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

I've moved your post to the ID forum, where more people with the expertise to help will see it. I also subscribed you to the thread so you can find it easily.

Your description matches Northern Flicker near perfectly. Your description of behavior matches woodpeckers almost exclusively, and Flickers are the only woodpeckers in your region with conspicuous white rump patches. They often feed on the ground and are flushed as you described, displaying the white patch in flight. Because you saw this rump patch I assume you did not get a good look at the underparts, so I wouldn't rely too heavily on the fact that you did not see spots. Northern Flicker in my opinion.

Rapala said:

Your description matches Northern Flicker near perfectly. Your description of behavior matches woodpeckers almost exclusively, and Flickers are the only woodpeckers in your region with conspicuous white rump patches. They often feed on the ground and are flushed as you described, displaying the white patch in flight. Because you saw this rump patch I assume you did not get a good look at the underparts, so I wouldn't rely too heavily on the fact that you did not see spots. Northern Flicker in my opinion.

Click to expand...

Agreed!