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06-09-2007, 07:06 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Berkshire
Posts: 1,741
| | | Dead bird
When I came home today I found a beautiful little bird dead outside the door. It has obviously hit the window - a lot of birds have been doing that recently.
However, I had never seen a bird like this one before (I'm not a bird expert) and had to thumb through my book to find out what it is. The closest I can get is Chiffchaff or Willow Warbler but I am not sure which. It was tiny - 11 cms from tip of the beak to tip of the tail, olive brown on back and bright yellow underneath (no white underneath which would probably make it a juvenile, with a yellow stripe above the eye. The legs were a mid-brown.
I could post a photo but it seems a bit disrespectful to do that. Any suggestions which it might be, or would anyone like me to post a photo for the ID?
Jenny |
06-09-2007, 07:13 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2,841
| | | Re: Dead bird
Sounds very much like a juve willow warbler, my book says yellow breast? |
06-09-2007, 07:13 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: South Oxfordshire
Posts: 1,379
| | | Re: Dead bird
Could be one of the two you suggested, Willow Warbler is slightly longer than Chiffchaff at 11.5cm. So based just on length could be Chiffchaff. Plumage would fit as well. 
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06-09-2007, 07:16 PM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sheffield, FPRSY
Posts: 5,090
| | | Re: Dead bird
With respect for your concern to being disrespectful - I think a picture is essential. My response to your description is, [b]'goldcrest' [b] but I could be way out as would anyone without a picture. They fly about rather rapidly so are quite likely to bounce onto a window pane.  Quote:
Originally Posted by jennyb  When I came home today I found a beautiful little bird dead outside the door. It has obviously hit the window - a lot of birds have been doing that recently.
However, I had never seen a bird like this one before (I'm not a bird expert) and had to thumb through my book to find out what it is. The closest I can get is Chiffchaff or Willow Warbler but I am not sure which. It was tiny - 11 cms from tip of the beak to tip of the tail, olive brown on back and bright yellow underneath (no white underneath which would probably make it a juvenile, with a yellow stripe above the eye. The legs were a mid-brown.
I could post a photo but it seems a bit disrespectful to do that. Any suggestions which it might be, or would anyone like me to post a photo for the ID?
Jenny | |
06-09-2007, 07:24 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2,841
| | | Re: Dead bird
Chiff chaff has black legs, Jenny says the bird has brown legs ? |
06-09-2007, 07:24 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Berkshire
Posts: 1,741
| | | Re: Dead bird
Paul, it is definitely not a goldcrest. I would have recognised that.
Here it is... 
My book says that the best way to tell the difference between a chiffchaff and a willow warbler is by the song, which is a little difficult under the circumstances!
Jenny |
06-09-2007, 07:26 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3,489
| | | Re: Dead bird
Wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix ?
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06-09-2007, 07:27 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,955
| | | Re: Dead bird
Looks like a juvenile Willow Warbler- sad end, before it embarked on it's first migration! |
06-09-2007, 07:30 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2,841
| | | Re: Dead bird
Wood warbler has clean white underparts and pale pink legs. |
06-09-2007, 07:30 PM
| | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sheffield, FPRSY
Posts: 5,090
| | | Re: Dead bird
Sorry, yes, of course you would. This certainly looks like one of the larger warblers and, as you say, how can you say when it's not singing? Very sad - even in death, quite beautiful to see close up .... Quote:
Originally Posted by jennyb Paul, it is definitely not a goldcrest. I would have recognised that.
My book says that the best way to tell the difference between a chiffchaff and a willow warbler is by the song, which is a little difficult under the circumstances!
Jenny | |
06-09-2007, 07:33 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 3,489
| | | Re: Dead bird
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrs fish Wood warbler has clean white underparts and pale pink legs. |
Cheers, ill stick to bug ID methinks 
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Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as vital to the child as it is to the caterpillar! |
06-09-2007, 07:36 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Berkshire
Posts: 1,741
| | | Re: Dead bird
Thanks for your help everyone. I will assume willow warbler.
Since this was a juvenile I must keep my eyes open for Mum, Dad and siblings. I didn't know we had any warblers around here (my hearing is not that good so I would not recognise the singing).
Jenny |
06-09-2007, 07:37 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2,841
| | | Re: Dead bird
I'm usually terrible at id's but I have a good book  and do love the warblers |
06-09-2007, 08:06 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: South Oxfordshire
Posts: 1,379
| | | Re: Dead bird
Yep, Willow warbler
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06-09-2007, 08:51 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: South Oxfordshire
Posts: 1,379
| | | Re: Dead bird
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrs fish Chiff chaff has black legs, Jenny says the bird has brown legs ? | Chiffchaff has brown to dark brown legs, Willow Warbler has pale brown to orangey brown, dark to slate grey leg colour. So is not always a reliable feature. Cheers
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07-09-2007, 08:33 AM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Lancashire
Posts: 2,888
| | | Re: Dead bird
That's such a shame, a beautiful bird. |
07-09-2007, 10:47 AM
| | Frozen | | Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 53
| | | Re: Dead bird
If birds are hitting your window that often, it may help to put some sort of sticker in it, cos if they can see right thru the other side they will never know the glass is there. |
07-09-2007, 01:01 PM
| | Active Member | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Derby
Posts: 26
| | | Re: Dead bird
From a piece of black paper I found in my inkjet fotopaper box, I have cut out a silhouette of a hawk and stuck it to my window, it seems to have done the trick, this is because we have a feeder close to the window so we can watch the birds feeding. the birds still feed but dont bump the window now. regards Jon | | |
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