Nice bird...

[Ruddy Roach]

Saw this in my garden in Yorkshire today.








Any ideas to what it is??



cheers

andy[]

 

[banksy]

It's a female blackbird which has flown into a wall ? [][]

 

[Zebedee]

its a Red crossbill

 

[Zebedee]

Whoops... forgot to add male

so its a male Red Crossbill

 

[Ruddy Roach]

thanks for the replys


are you sure Zebedee??


google seems to sugest otherwise

:S

 

[phil-k]

I think its a female blackbird like this one;

 

[Peter]

Just lightened it up for a better look.[]

 

[pieman]

How big was it ruddy, could be a linnet.

 

[simon d]

Could it be a Bleakbird with its upturned beak?(sorry)[]

 

[Ady]

Looked more like a rodent before i saw the tail :O

 

[Ruddy Roach]

thanks peter



hahah yeh it had big round eyes.



What made me (well my uncle) notice it at first, was it looked to have a beak upturned like a banana.


When I saw the picture it looks like its got a twig in its mouth, or it's a twig showing from a branch behind it. But something was definately bent up from its beak.




I don't know if the white under its wing can help in indentifying it??



Pieman, it was around the same size as a blackbird/thrush (or possibly very slightly bigger), but definately smaller than a pidgeon.





The search goes on...

 

[chrishowe425]

oh that sort of bird[]

 

[BARRYBLOKE]

Well Mucker you have me stumped with this one and Ive been into "feathered birds" all my life.
Tell you what though it definitely isnt a crossbill or a linnet.
Its a chick and so its coloration isnt true as yet. You can still see down on the back of its head.
My guess is its a female blackbird just out of the nest (chicks nearly always look bigger than their parents because they still have fluffy down to preen out while their proper plumage grows on)but I wouldnt swear to it. That ruddy patch on the chest is throwing me although looking at its tail I would bet money on it.
Going for another look.

Thats a female blackbird in her winter plumage.
This is a linnet and a crossbill and it definitely isnt either of these.

 

[Ruddy Roach]

Yeh it's wierd, like a cross of birds. But I think the eye might be too big for a blackbird, unless it needs to "grow in to it", although it was a reasonable size to start with, like an adult blackbird. It also seems to have a tuft on the back of its head. :s




Can anyone work out whats happening with the beak???




Thanks!

 

[davidsenior]

Ruddy, I've just searched the entire R.S.P.B site and the nearest I come across is this. http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/n/nightingale/index.asp


I rather doubt it tho'.



I reckon you've spotted a bit of a rarity there mate.[]

How long have you been a "twitcher" LOL[]


<Ruddy, I've done a copy for you with a little bit of a background TWIG cloned out, it looks a bit diferent now, I think Blokey's got it.>

 

[mecca]

It's clearly a blackbird with a deformed beak. It's nothing like a linnet or a crossbill.

It could just be a blackbird with a twig in its mouth but im sure you would have seen the twig. It is nest building season after all. Its definatley a blackbird though. its not a redwing as theres no colouring.

 

[norm]

is it a


sparrow?

 

[BARRYBLOKE]

The tuft on its head Roachy is down mate. The bird is definitely a chick fresh out of the nest. My money is on it being a female blackbird.
Most birds have the ability to cross their beaks for eating seeds etc. If you watch a bird preen you will see them frequently cross their beaks over.
Email Bill Oddie he will tell you in a second.[]

 

[luremad]

Mutant Blackbird [][]

 

[Ruddy Roach]

how big will young birds be?? this looked like it was fully grown, or a decent size to start with atleast!