Black bird with white tail stripe (1 Viewer)

[Tiraya]

Hmm, you're not providing much basis for reply. . ..

With words like "define" vs "definitely", you pronounce one as "fine" and one as "fin". Well most people do anyway.

It occurs to me that with words like "leuca" I do find myself using a hard c. Seems I'm not very consistent.

 

[AllanM]

I've always pronounced 'leucism' with a soft 'c' as that was how it was told to me by a fellow birder many years ago. However, I believe this to be incorrect and have now changed my pronunciation and use a hard 'k' as in 'leucocyte' (white blood cell).

 

[BirdingDoc]

I appreciate the assistance of all who posted in an endeavour to provide me with a correct identification of this bird and to point out my error in misinterpreting the white band on the tail. Furthermore, I am much informed by this interesting detour down the road of Greek pronunciation. My medical school-Greek taught me that a white blood cell is a leukocyte, with a hard 'k' and a soft 'c' thanks to its Greek roots, but the Latin changed the Greek 'k' to a 'c' with a soft 'c' sound. I still might not pronounce 'leucistic' properly, but I can say "Thank you!"
Charles

 

[Alexis Powell]

It is a common grackle that lost its tail and many coverts. The tail is growing back and the bases are in sheath. There is no white. You are seeing the black sheaths and sky behind. Grackles often molt their entire tail at once

Exactly. I concur on all points.

--AP

 

[njlarsen]

I appreciate the assistance of all who posted in an endeavour to provide me with a correct identification of this bird and to point out my error in misinterpreting the white band on the tail. Furthermore, I am much informed by this interesting detour down the road of Greek pronunciation. My medical school-Greek taught me that a white blood cell is a leukocyte, with a hard 'k' and a soft 'c' thanks to its Greek roots, but the Latin changed the Greek 'k' to a 'c' with a soft 'c' sound. I still might not pronounce 'leucistic' properly, but I can say "Thank you!"
Charles

Charles, good for you that medical school did not ruin your common sense and wonder for birds. (said by someone who teach in a medical school )

Niels

 

[Sancho]

Wasn't there a scene in 'Goodbye Mr. Chips' where Robert Donat as Chips bemoaned the 'new' pronunciation of Cicero as 'Kikero', replacing the Ecclesiastical version?
Also, odd that in none of the modern Romance languages (into which Latin morphed, rather than it 'dying out') are 'ci' or 'ce' pronounced with /k/ sounds. The Spanish 'lisp' them. In French, they're /s/. In Italian, they're 'tch' (sorry, can't type the phonemes for this sound). In Romanian or Romansch, no idea, but I bet they're not /k/. (Sorry, what was this thread about? I don't really 'do' birds anymore).

 

[Ck4682]

It is a common grackle that lost its tail and many coverts. The tail is growing back and the bases are in sheath. There is no white. You are seeing the black sheaths and sky behind. Grackles often molt their entire tail at once

No Ive posted pics of same from my garden (England) today. Def 3 white stripes

 

[Ck4682]

I appreciate the assistance of all who posted in an endeavour to provide me with a correct identification of this bird and to point out my error in misinterpreting the white band on the tail. Furthermore, I am much informed by this interesting detour down the road of Greek pronunciation. My medical school-Greek taught me that a white blood cell is a leukocyte, with a hard 'k' and a soft 'c' thanks to its Greek roots, but the Latin changed the Greek 'k' to a 'c' with a soft 'c' sound. I still might not pronounce 'leucistic' properly, but I can say "Thank you!"
Charles

I've got same in my garden ... it wasn't sky showing through. Very close (see attached) . I've lots of pics from diff angles. Can we ask for more views on what this is pls.

 

[foresttwitcher]

I've got same in my garden ... it wasn't sky showing through. Very close (see attached) . I've lots of pics from diff angles. Can we ask for more views on what this is pls.

You have the answer in your other thread - a Blackbird with some leucistic tail feathers.