Strange garden bird (1 Viewer)

[Spotty Muldoon]

A strange bird came into our Cumbria, UK garden and spent quite a long time feeding (at least 15 minutes). I have looked everywhere but cannot find it anywhere. The picture I took isn't very clear but it did seem to have a two colour beak, yellow on the bottom. I will attach a pic and maybe someone can identify it.

Thanks

Brian

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

It's a female House Sparrow.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Brian,

do you have more pictures?
Yes, in the end it will be a female House Sparrow, but I see some features of a Spanish Sparrow:

• Yes, few House Sparrow have some faint, diluted and/or weak streaks to the underparts, but yours have extensive, clear and prominent ones
• The bill seems chunky, but difficult to judge because its open (and blurring might exagerrate this?)
• Bill base seems clear and extensive yellow

I hope for Jane and all to look at this bird more closely. And more pictures!

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello again,

yes if a possible female Spanish Sparrow can be identified with confidence and subsequently accepted is a different story.

For comparison, I looked at House Sparrows again more closely after Janes interesting thread (thanks!)

https://flic.kr/p/2ocCxDv

(Brühl, SW-Germany, 03.01.2023)

https://flic.kr/p/2o3iztM

(compare extent of yellow in the bill on the left bird and the diluted streaking to belly in the right bird. And note how far the sharp streaks reach on the central belly in the OP bird. And yes I have seen House Sparrows with quite sharp streaks before, but so extensive, sharp and short ones? )

https://flic.kr/p/2o3h9rB

(both Ziesar, NE-Germany, 17.10.2022)

https://flic.kr/p/FEDkts

(bird from the "Italian Sparrow range", Völs, N-Italy)

Or do I see things here? You know, you can be honest and that I am grateful.Thanks!

 

[Spotty Muldoon]

Thanks very much, I wasn't expecting to see such a 'rare' bird in the garden. Talk about feeling really stupid now LOL. It's not as if I am new to this game, just getting old!

P.S. My son was already setting up a system to charge people to see it.

Cheers

Brian

 

[Butty]

Given that Spanish sparrow would be a) stupendously rare and b) impossible (from this, for practically everyone) to identify, I would (just my opinion, no offence) happily call this an adult female or unsexable juvenile house sparrow and get on with my day.

 

[RichieTwitchy]

Given that Spanish sparrow would be a) stupendously rare and b) impossible (from this, for practically everyone) to identify, I would (just my opinion, no offence) happily call this an adult female or unsexable juvenile house sparrow and get on with my day.

...though I'd still go ahead and get my son to charge people to see it

 

[Derbyfella]

Once you’ve got a queue people will join it.

 

[Harrybongo]

...though I'd still go ahead and get my son to charge people to see it

💷 💷 Loads! 👍 😂