Escaped bird

[Ollie]

Hi all.

Over the last few weeks I have caught fleeting glimpses of a very colourful bird in my garden and the surrounding gardens. Yesterday I finally managed to get a photograph of it.

I was watching the other birds on the feeders when I saw it land. I grabbed the first camera to hand which was the 40D with the Canon 400mm F5.6L lens attached, shot upstairs and very carefully opened the bedroom window. luckily it stayed put long enough for me to get half a dozen hand held shots before it flew off.

It's a Southern Red or orange Bishop male - Euplectes orix. a member of the weaver family of birds. It is a native of South Africa commonly found in wetlands and grasslands. Obviously it's an escapee from someone's collection, but oh what a stunner it is.

Can' help think that it will soon become food for my local Sparrowhawk who visits my garden several times a week, unless the bright colours are a deterrent.

[Farplace]

What a beauty!

[Deb London]

Lovely bird! Great colour scheme.

[Kayleigh]

Wow, what a bird to get in the garden..
cant you catch it somehow, at least its not starving stumbling into your restaurant..

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Wow, what a bird to get in the garden..
cant you catch it somehow, at least its not starving stumbling into your restaurant..

Don't think I would stand much chance of catching it Kayleigh. From what I have seen of it it's very wary of humans. It is hanging around with my resident House Sparrows but normally keeps well in the back ground. However as you can see it looks pretty healthy, and has been around at least three weeks so is obviously finding enough to eat.

I don't know of anyone in the village who keeps cage or aviary birds. As I said I reckon it will fall prey to the Sparrowhawk before long.

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by Ollie

Don't think I would stand much chance of catching it Kayleigh. From what I have seen of it it's very wary of humans. It is hanging around with my resident House Sparrows but normally keeps well in the back ground. However as you can see it looks pretty healthy, and has been around at least three weeks so is obviously finding enough to eat.

I don't know of anyone in the village who keeps cage or aviary birds. As I said I reckon it will fall prey to the Sparrowhawk before long.

I heard other birds attack brightly coloured ones have you noticed anything like this..
I hope he manages to avoid the Spawk..

[werdnal]

Beautiful bird, looks quite healthy too, so possibly managing to feed OK, especially if it has survived some of the really cold nights we have had lately.

You never know, the SHawk might actually be put off by that colouring, preferring something it actually recognises instead!

I wonder whether there is a chance that such a bird could pair and mate with something native? I've just looked up the bird on Google and the female is remarkably similar to a female sparrow. What a colourful brood that would be!

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

I heard other birds attack brightly coloured ones have you noticed anything like this..
I hope he manages to avoid the Spawk..

He seems to be quite happy mixing with the Sparrows. I have seen him sat in the hedge across the road from me with the Sparrows and they don't seem to show any aggression towards him. It's only the second time I have actually seen him in the garden and both times he seemed to prefer to ground feed than actually use the feeders

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by werdnal

I wonder whether there is a chance that such a bird could pair and mate with something native? I've just looked up the bird on Google and the female is remarkably similar to a female sparrow. What a colourful brood that would be!

I suppose it would be genetically possible but then again I'm no expert. and yes the female is pretty much like a Sparrow. According to what I can find on the net they are reasonably hardy so it's possible as long as the Sparrowhawk doesn't get him that he may be around a while.

[Littlesparrow]

what a lovely looking bird.