Grackle?
D90 70-200+2X@400 1/2500 f6.3 ISO640 0EV handheld
This morning I struck out at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine, CA, but on the way home photographed this bird which was picking up crumbs in a market parking lot. I'm guessing it is a female grackle ,. . . but is it, and, if so, which one? I cropped and adjusted a bit in LR3.
Wendell
Hi Wendell, my call is a female Brewers Blackbird. The bill is not long enough for a grackle and the tail is too short. Also the coloration overall would be more brown for a grackle.
That could be a good call Dan but I'm worried about the large size of the bill in this bird. I must say I'm a bit confused on this one.
With that bill I'm thinking Brown-headed Cowbird, probably a male molting into its first adult plumage.
What is the relative size of this bird? I imagine it was fairly large, since you were thinking grackle (vs cowbird). Based on your location I would guess immature great-tailed grackle, although the tail is not all that "great". Being a relatively novice birder, this is when I proclaim 'hybrid!'. I'll be interested in other's thoughts on this one.
D90 70-200VR+2X@140 1/2500 f6.3 ISO640 0EV handheld
Thanks to all . . . and Asta, here is a photo of the companion bird to give you some idea of comparative size. This is a crummy picture (posted only for size comparison etc.); but I did not crop it, and in LR3 I only amended the Exposure by +159, NR(Luminance) 84, Sharpening Amount 92 for ID help. Note missing foot. Hope this helps.
Interesting with the missing foot! This photo strengthens my confidence that these are female Brewers! They are very common in CA. The bill on this bird and the op bird are similar, too short for grackle and too long for cowbird. The tail is ok for brewers and cowbird but too short for grackle.Originally Posted by wendell westfall
Well, the plot thickens on this one. I have to admit to immediately thinking cowbird when I saw the image for the first time so in that sense I am in agreement with Paul. There's something about the face of the bird in the OP which says cowbird. I don't see the birds in the two images as similar at all, other than they are clearly both Icertids of course.
Can we resolve this one?
I'm still with you, John. The first image looks like Cowbird, the second looks like a female Brewer's Blackbird. The bill on the first bird looks too stout to fit any blackbird I can think of, and the head looks proportionally smaller than the female Brewer's in the second image as well.
I still think this is a female Brewer's! The coloration just doesn't fit any cowbird that I've seen, male or female. The bill is not finch-like enough also for cowbird. The bird looks strange due to the fact that she has her neck stretched out, making for a different look that the bird in the second post, IMO! Grackle is out also IMO! Brewer's, Brewer's
Dark brown eyes, dark gray brown overall, green sheen on wing and tail = Female Brewers IMO.
Since I'm the east coast, I figure I had better head for a field guide. Per Sibley...
After reading that description, I don't think I have the experience to say how this photo fits with western Cowbirds.Pacific/Mexican Brown-headed Cowbirds are small, with thin bill and straight culmen;
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