what bird is this??? (1 Viewer)

[KnockerNorton]

The upper bill is overgrown, as it's not getting the abrasion it needs in captivity to keep it in check. The top should only be as long as the bottom, with perhaps a 1mm overlap at most.

You need to take this bird to a vet or birdkeeper so they can trim the bill back to normal size, otherwise it will not be able to feed properly.

If it's not flying after 2 months, it suggests there's something wrong with it.

And facts are facts, I'm afraid - no young fledgling that size could last half a day, never mind 2 days, without being fed by the parents.

 

[snowyowl]

I won't try to id. the bird but what I suggest is that you track down a local rehab. centre and take the bird to them. Right or wrong, you did what you thought was best at the time, now you have to look at the future of the bird and trained rehab. people will see to the welfare of the little guy. They will know what to feed it etc. Try calling the zoo if all else fails. They may know of a centre near TO.

 

[oldsquaw]

are crossbills in your area? White-winged? Bill looks crssbillish, wing may have to much white though.

 

[swamp_rattler]

why not a rose-breasted grosbeak?

 

[snowyowl]

What are you feeding the bird? The only reason that id. is important is to ensure proper feeding. Get a professional involved ASAP. You may also be breaking the law by having this bird unless you are a licensed rehaber.

 

[W.coast Raptor]

I won't try to id. the bird but what I suggest is that you track down a local rehab. centre and take the bird to them. Right or wrong, you did what you thought was best at the time, now you have to look at the future of the bird and trained rehab. people will see to the welfare of the little guy. They will know what to feed it etc. Try calling the zoo if all else fails. They may know of a centre near TO.

nicely put, thank-you.

 

[Katy Penland]

I'm with Van -- my first thought was a White-winged Crossbill, too. And they occur year-round throughout Ontario (as well as much of Canada).

 

[infatu8ion]

hey everyone! No I don't have this bird in captivity and it does not live in my home! It is outside and just comes by our back door a few times a day now. I give it millet and it eats it with no problems. It doesn't fly high, but it can fly a bit. If I open the back door it will hop into the house and walk around, or just come and sit on me, and then it walks back out only to return a few hours later. I did contact 2 rehab centres only to be told to put it back and "if it dies, it dies". I called some avian vets but they would not help and only sent me back to the wildlife rehab again.

I guess the best thing to do is to catch the bird before it goes back out, and just take it to the rehab to see what can be done.

 

[infatu8ion]

Thank you all so much for your help!! I really had no idea what to do in this situation and it was a bit stressful to not be able to know whether this bird was getting the right type of food, and what type of bird it is etc... As I have been keeping an eye on it for two months now.

 

[Thayeri]

I'm with Van -- my first thought was a White-winged Crossbill, too. And they occur year-round throughout Ontario (as well as much of Canada).

White-winged Crossbill was my first thought as well when I saw the second group of photos. But, juvenile White-winged Crossbills are a brown, heavily streaked bird with thin white wingbars, and according to Sibley, they first appear in January.

As I put in my first post, I know that Toronto would be pushing it for range on breeding Evening Grosbeaks, but remain puzzled by what else it could be? Every other possibility seems to have much bigger problems...?

Edited to add, that it sounds like you have a tame wild bird that you feed and that visits you frequently, rather than a bird you keep in your house as a pet. You are doing nothing illegal or even unethical. Why change anything? Get some more general purpose feed with a mixture of ingredients, or something specifically for big finches. If the bird has been surviving for two months in your back yard, then taking it to rehab accomplishes nothing -- why stress it with a capture?

Be sure and send more photos in another month or two!

 

[infatu8ion]

Hi Thayeri!!

*relief* I really didn't want to have to capture it, so I am glad you said what I have been doing is ok! I will go get some general buird beed and see what happens! I will definately post photos again! :O) Thank you so much!!!


EDIT

did i just type bird beed??

I meant bird seed LOL o

 

[infatu8ion]

Hey everyone!!
Remember the little bird from this post? Well he turned out to be a male house sparrow! It looks totally different now! He flew into my kitchen decided to take a photo of him to share with everyone!

http://www.geocities.com/bebamady/lilfellow.JPG

I was looking around my area and I never see sparrows like this little guy. He has white wing feathers (about 4 on each side), but short legs compared to the sparrows I see outside. I researched online and saw photos of house sparrows that look much like him but without the white feathers.

I am curious as to why he has these white feathers?

Also, I am wondering about the sparrows with longer legs/larger feet that I see around my area. I noticed some looked very much like female house sparrows. What do we call these birds?

Thanks everyone!

 

[infatu8ion]

I saw the same birds again outside my work today, and noticed the much longer legs and larger feet than the house sparrow. They look like this:

http://www.studiolo.org/WPS/PR/PR2004-09-PoundRidge/PR2004-09-PoundRidgeLibraryPhotos/Image36.jpg

Since I read up on house sparrows and found out that they have shorter legs than native sparrows, I looked up other types of sparrows but they all look different (streaks on breast, black chest dot, etc.) and the birds in my area don't have these extras and are rather plain in comparison such as in the photo (not my photo, I found it online). Any ideas?

 

[prairiemerlin]

Hmm..... that's a very odd bird. Looks like some sort of escapee.