ID help please. Wirral finch

Goatboy · #1 (**permalink**) 12-02-2010, 07:10 PM

Sorry no picture on this one. The bird flew before we got chance.

I was up at Parkgate this week and saw a finch like bird that has really got me stumped.

The bird was predominantly brown on top. It's face and belly was straw coloured with some brown striping. My first thought was Twite. A bird that I have seen several times in this area. However it didn't have the distinctive yellow bill and was on it's own. I have always seen Twite in groups, but hey. First opinions are usually right.

It was when the bird flew off and I saw it's tail feathers that I really was stumped.

From above the forked tail feathers were distinctly black (not dark, very much black) and surrounded by a thin line of white. Underneath they were white. Not cream but brilliant white.

Something just didn't sit right for me with Twite so I wondered if maybe it was a juvenile Linnet. However photos of juvenile Linnets I've looked at tend to have a darker face and less distinct tail-colouring than this bird.

TBH both birds are a possibility but neither feel right to me. Any other suggestions would be greatly received.

squishy · #2 (**permalink**) 12-02-2010, 07:33 PM

skylark?

Picidae · #3 (**permalink**) 12-02-2010, 07:37 PM

Why not a female Linnet (more likely probably than Twite depending where you live)

Tail description is spot on

http://www.bbc.co.uk/jersey/content/...et_470x350.jpg

http://www.the-soc.org.uk/images/gal...ands-apr09.jpg

'last year's juveniles would be in 1w plumage now and look very like adult females and the 1w males very like adult males.

Goatboy · #4 (**permalink**) 12-02-2010, 07:59 PM

Thanks for the suggestions.

I think Linnet is most likely because the tail does fit. It's just that the body colours were lighter than normal for a Linnet. Much closer to Squishy's suggestion of Skylark. Though the bill was definitely finch-like rather than that of a lark.