Unidentified garden bird

Catrin · #1 (**permalink**) 02-07-2009, 07:12 PM

Hi,
There was a very strange bird in my Hertfordshire garden for a short while this morning. I have no idea what it could possibly be, and I'm sorry I don't have a photo of it - if it reappears I'll give it a go, however small it is in the picture.

In the absence of a photo I'll have to try and remember what we could see from the bathroom window. In general outline, appearance, beak, behaviour, etc it looked like a rather fluffy juvenile tit. It was a lot larger than the blue tits that were also around at the same time. However, it had a white tail, and the outer feathers of its wings were also white. Three feathers on the left, and two on the right.

Its back, head and the rest of its wings were brown (ish?) - a bit sparrow like - I know I should have paid more attention to that but I was so astonished to see it that I didn't.

Its chest was a sort of apricot orange - very bright, but washed out towards the edges. It also had a patch of orange on the back of its neck - not symmetrical, but skewed around to the left hand side.

It sat on the edge of the bird bath for a while, and the other birds around gave it a very wide berth - veering off from landing at the last minute.

It looked like nothing I have ever seen, my current guess is that it is some kind of mutant, especially since the markings are not symmetrical. Or, alternatively, could it be an escapee?

Any suggestions?
Cheers

Fieldfare95 · #2 (**permalink**) 02-07-2009, 08:18 PM

Welcome to WAB

My guess is a juvenile blackbird with Leusism(not sure on spelling), which would explain the white feathers.

Catrin · #3 (**permalink**) 02-07-2009, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fieldfare95

Welcome to WAB

My guess is a juvenile blackbird with Leusism(not sure on spelling), which would explain the white feathers.

No, sorry, it was nothing like as big as a blackbird, and it was showing the same type of behaviour as a tit. I would say that it looked like a large great tit in shape, and the beak was the same short one as a tit.

However, your suggestion of leucism might be on the right track - I've found a picture of a Leucistic Great Tit, which is much whiter than what we saw, but has something of the same type of apricot colouring about it, although the one we saw was much more orange.

This could be the explanation, does anyone know if it is likely to survive for very long with this rather obvious colouration?
Cheers

Catrin · #4 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 12:45 PM

Sorry about the quality of the images here, they were taken at a distance on a small camera. Being a beginner here it took me a while to work out how to post pictures.

I can now see that this is nothing like a tit (it helps to be wearing my glasses) - but what is it? Is it some kind of finch? In one of the photos it seems to have a reddish colouration around the eyes.

Jonners · #5 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 12:56 PM

Hi Catrin. Well done for getting some pics of the bird

- we can all see it now. I reckon it is, as you wondered, an escapee, possibly some kind of canary. Having said that, I'm happy to bow to someone's greater knowledge, but I'll keep having a look online for similar images.

Jonners · #6 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 01:03 PM

Just a thought, can you see any rings on its legs?

Catrin · #7 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 01:10 PM

Thanks Jonners,
No, we haven't noticed any kind of rings, but it did return briefly a couple of minutes ago, if it comes back again we'll try to see if there is anything like that.
Cheers

tombom · #8 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 02:02 PM

Not an expert on this sort of thing, but it looks like a greenfinch hybrid of some sort judging from GREENFINCH CROSSES

Tursiops2 · #9 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 02:05 PM

Hi Catrin, welcome to WAB.
I'm pretty sure your bird is a leucistic Sparrow, quite possibly a Tree Sparrow. Do you get Tree Sparrows in your garden?
T2

Lance Morgan · #10 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 02:23 PM

Its a 'mule' i.e. escaped cage bird hybrid. Most likely canary cross.

Gill Catton · #11 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 02:25 PM

I think its a canary

stevensi · #12 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 02:29 PM

Definitely some sort of canary (a mule as someone else pointed out).

Catrin · #13 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 02:58 PM

Tursiops2 - we did wonder about sparrow, as its back appears quite sparrow like - but we don't get tree sparrows here.

It is very bright, so the idea of some kind of escapee sounds good.

Looks like we need to try and get a better photo - however, we only have a small digital camera.

Thanks to everyone

tcvarlh · #14 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 03:20 PM

Def a bog standard Canary Serinus canaria Wiki has some info File:Serinus canaria LC0210.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tursiops2 · #15 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcvarlh

Def a bog standard Canary Serinus canaria Wiki has some info File:Serinus canaria LC0210.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hm. I remain to be convinced re Canary. Back pattern, head pattern look like sparrow to me, white collar and unpatterned crown suggest Tree.

Fieldfare95 · #16 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 03:54 PM

A canary or possibly a greenfinch mule(greenfinch cross canary).

diggleken · #17 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tursiops2

Hm. I remain to be convinced re Canary. Back pattern, head pattern look like sparrow to me, white collar and unpatterned crown suggest Tree.

Absolutely right - that white collar is the main problem I think.
It is a mule or cross of some sort, but what............
Do tree sparrows cross with reed buntings? (well they are the same family).

Its also close to oriental greenfinch, Carduelis sinica, but that white nape is confusing.
Watch with interest.
Ken

Gill Catton · #18 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 04:46 PM

There are a zillion different canary colourations though.
I've sifted through quite a few pics now and there are a number with pale napes.......

and there's no wingbars evident and no pale cheek.

Tursiops2 · #19 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diggleken

Do tree sparrows cross with reed buntings? (well they are the same family).

Watch with interest.
Ken

No, separate families, sparrows are related to African Weavers I believe

diggleken · #20 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 08:27 PM

quite right T2, dont know where that came from..................planet Ken strikes again.
Reed bunting nape was in my head I suspect, allied with other sparrow features - that would produce some of the characteristics in the subject?
Passerines then!
Cheers
Ken

Catrin · #21 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 08:44 PM

Having heard it singing from a neighbour's TV antenna this afternoon I'm quite prepared to believe that it is some kind of canary - a very complex song with lots of variation and trills - however, the back does seem to suggest that it is a cross with something else.

I didn't know that canaries could cross with finches, however, a quick google has told me that they are commonly crossed in Europe with goldfinches, siskins and greenfinches - I now understand why you are referring to it as a 'mule'.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. Sorry, but we haven't been able to take any more photos of it this afternoon.

Tursiops2 · #22 (**permalink**) 04-07-2009, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catrin

Having heard it singing from a neighbour's TV antenna this afternoon I'm quite prepared to believe that it is some kind of canary - a very complex song with lots of variation and trills - however, the back does seem to suggest that it is a cross with something else.

I didn't know that canaries could cross with finches, however, a quick google has told me that they are commonly crossed in Europe with goldfinches, siskins and greenfinches - I now understand why you are referring to it as a 'mule'.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. Sorry, but we haven't been able to take any more photos of it this afternoon.

OK, that does seem to rule out any sort of sparrow then

tcvarlh · #23 (**permalink**) 04-07-2009, 01:49 PM

According to my Aunt who breeds the darn things she reckons it could be a strain improver escapee Serinus canaria xx Serinus canaria domestica, she thinks someone is trying for either a Colourbred or a Song. She says she has seen white naped birds before. They are not common and she doesn't like them, she muttered something about 'bloody mustard sparras'. Polly (Aunt) [great name for a bird breeder] says "she could be wrong but that's my best bet, take it or leave it! I've got things to do." Then she put the phone down.

Dutchess · #24 (**permalink**) 04-07-2009, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcvarlh

According to my Aunt who breeds the darn things she reckons it could be a strain improver escapee Serinus canaria xx Serinus canaria domestica, she thinks someone is trying for either a Colourbred or a Song. She says she has seen white naped birds before. They are not common and she doesn't like them, she muttered something about 'bloody mustard sparras'. Polly (Aunt) [great name for a bird breeder] says "she could be wrong but that's my best bet, take it or leave it! I've got things to do." Then she put the phone down.

lol! that's you in a few years time, H!

Oh wait a mo - that's you now!!

D.

Jonners · #25 (**permalink**) 04-07-2009, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcvarlh

According to my Aunt who breeds the darn things she reckons it could be a strain improver escapee Serinus canaria xx Serinus canaria domestica, she thinks someone is trying for either a Colourbred or a Song.

I hope whoever is trying sucks seeds

or maybe that's your Aunt Polly