Western Tanager?? (1 Viewer)

[jimtfoto]

Hello all:
Western Tanager was the best I could come up with for the attached. It is well out of its range here in Southern Ontario, but it is listed as a "rare" visitor in Sibleys and an "occasional" visitor in an Ontario bird book, which says there have been many reports, but few confirmed sightings.
It is much larger than Yellow Warbler and a bit bigger than American Goldfinch. There was a noticeable orangish-red tinge to the crown.
Any other ideas would be most welcome.

cheers,
jim

 

[lou salomon]

hi jim,

sorry, i don't know what your bird is, but it's not of the tanager-genus. bill is much more finch-like (conical) and the upper mandibule is black. a guess would be an escaped canary.

 

[jcwings]

It's colored more like a immature male Summer Tanager but as Lou points out the bill is wrong for a tanager. Some type of exotic for sure. Beautiful bird though.

 

[buzzard12]

...would send a few hearts a flutter on Scilly in october...

 

[JANJ]

Hi Jim.

Your bird is a Saffron Finch (Sicalis flaveola) and therefor an escape.

http://jrscience.wcp.muohio.edu/birds/tropical_birds/curacao_birds/Saffron_Finch_Profile.html

JanJ

 

[jimtfoto]

Thanks for the ID and the link, JanJ ... I googled Saffron Finch and came up with similiar pix.
Looks like it's an escapee.

cheers,
jim