mystery finch

[John Chardine]

I'm on board a ship in the South Atlantic. We originated in Buenos Aires and we discovered after sailing that we had several uninvited avian guests on board, including a Vermillion Flycatcher!

Here is one of the birds we had, and which I cannot ID using de la Peña and Rumboll's Birds of Southern South America and Antarctica.

I'm assuming the bird is a finch but cannot go any further with the ID.

(image is from a passenger on board).

[Axel Hildebrandt]

I have no idea, either. What are you going to do with these birds?

[John Chardine]

You really can't do anything about it Axel. Ship-assisted movement of birds is a very common phenomenon well-known to bird watchers. We had at least 7 birds of 5 species on board, which is the most I have ever seen (I usually see one or none on the cruises I am on). The birds were feeding on board on moths and other insects and seemed healthy, (and un-catchable if that's what you had in mind). I'm afraid you just have to let nature take its course in these situations.