These rocks are at the outskirts of a residential area. First I thought these to be ortolan buntings, but nesting in rocks is not something they do, as far as I could find. Then I thought of house sparrows, but the well-defined whiteness at the throat did not fit. Then I thought of rock sparrows, but the supercilium should have been more distinct. There are two birds in each photo. One is flying in the first one. Check the corners in the second photo. June 2022, Northwest Turkey. Thanks in advance...
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Passerine bird identification, Northwest Turkey (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter cduruk
- Start date
Without certainty...
This looks to me like a juvenile or immature yellow-throated (rock) sparrow. I see it as similar to this:
ML204808261 Yellow-throated Sparrow Macaulay Library
Ebird suggests that a sighting from NW Turkey would be unusual depending precisely where that is (sorry if you said I didn't look).
For me it would be difficult to reconcile that clear white throat and pink bill with anything else... ...but happy to be corrected
Edit: even on a phone I can see artifacts/lighting effects in the first image which serve to make the bill appear thicker than it should (i.e. appear more like a "regular" sparrow)
This looks to me like a juvenile or immature yellow-throated (rock) sparrow. I see it as similar to this:
ML204808261 Yellow-throated Sparrow Macaulay Library
Ebird suggests that a sighting from NW Turkey would be unusual depending precisely where that is (sorry if you said I didn't look).
For me it would be difficult to reconcile that clear white throat and pink bill with anything else... ...but happy to be corrected
Edit: even on a phone I can see artifacts/lighting effects in the first image which serve to make the bill appear thicker than it should (i.e. appear more like a "regular" sparrow)
I disagree that there is any such effect but I'm happy to consider the alternative ID 👍🏻
As for the precise location; here is the geographically European part of Turkey, or Southeastern Europe, by another expression. I checked the distribution in ebird. Rock sparrow is unlikely to be there, but that would not be a shocking record, I think
. As for the yellow-throated sparrow, it would be shocking I think the problems here for the alternative suggestions are:As for the precise location; here is the geographically European part of Turkey, or Southeastern Europe, by another expression. I checked the distribution in ebird. Rock sparrow is unlikely to be there, but that would not be a shocking record, I think
spanish etc. sparrow: pink bill in image 1, clearly demarcated v white throat
rock sparrow: as above, also shape, nature of supercilium (not strong, white, and without clear strong contrasting brown above)
Thank you all for the contributions. My preference for the moment, is to classify this as unidentified. I will have a chance to visit the same spot in the coming days. If I see them again, I will try to take more pictures from various angles. I will post here if I can do so.
