ID question without photo- some type of wren? (1 Viewer)

[anita carswell]

Hi, not expecting a definitive answer, just help narrowing down who I may be seeing in Richmond, California today and over the last week to two or so.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been seeing a bird I mistakenly thought might be a baby towhee, but the shape is kind of wrong.

The bird is a solid towhee/dove-ish color. Smaller than a dove, bigger than a finch.

Very round head and huge round eyes. Smallish beak?

Finally saw who I thought was a marsh or house wren the other day.

Today realized that my "baby towhee" is likely this same wren-like bird, and how I came to that conclusion was the erect tail the other day and today the erect moving up and down tail with a white underside.

My bird books don't show any truly solid colored wrens. The closest candidate in the house wren, but supposedly those are only here in the summer according to my book.

This bird stands on the wooden railing. He or she may have eaten some peanut dust the other day. I only feed peanuts and sunflower seeds.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[jmepler]

Bewick's Wren would be the most likely this time of the year. Other possible wrens in order of likelihood are Marsh Wren, Pacific Wren, House Wren, and Rock Wren.

A picture would be a big help.

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

The upright tail makes me think of Wrentit.

 

[rkj]

The upright tail makes me think of Wrentit.

"Very round head" also sounds more like a Wrentit than any actual wrens, and the yellow eyes of Wrentits may look large. If your house borders chapparral or thick stream-side vegetation it may be a possibility. Even a poor picture, if you can get one, could be a big help.

 

[nartreb]

There's a lot in the description that doesn't sound very wren-like to me. Not a clear match to anything I know well, so I'm thinking it's a West coast bird... wrentit sounds like an excellent suggestion.