What type of bird is this?

April 17, 2010 8:49 PM

Bird watchers: Anyone know what this feller is? My husband and I put up a new feeder in our South Florida yard. We're in the migratory path for lots of transient species; so, it's possible he's not native. We've done our research in Sibley, and thought "1st year painted bunting," but a Google Image search doesn't really support that match.
posted by MediaMer to home & garden (8 answers total)

Possibly a female painted bunting, page 469 in Sibley. They are year long residents in your area. How did the google images differ?
posted by francesca too at 9:23 PM on April 17, 2010

Prothonotary Warbler?
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 9:30 PM on April 17, 2010

It seems to look like a dirty canary. That's the body/head/beak shape I'm getting out of the picture. Is that right? Not saying it's a canary, since the wings and tail look gray, but the shape and tail length as well as the posture of the bird are pretty distinct. I wonder if this bird is in the same family or whatnot.
posted by wondermouse at 9:56 PM on April 17, 2010

Looks like a goldfinch.
posted by null terminated at 10:00 PM on April 17, 2010

Here is a picture of a wild canary. If it's a canary, there's a chance it's someone's pet bird that escaped (or I guess it could just be a wild canary?).
posted by wondermouse at 10:08 PM on April 17, 2010

Looks like a female Painted Bunting to me, too. Any field marks you noticed that didn't come out in the picture?
posted by phyllary at 10:09 PM on April 17, 2010

Ah, yeah, I just found this female painted bunting picture that looks a lot like it. The google image searches that come up with "1st year painted bunting" are mostly just adult male painted buntings.
/bird nerd
posted by wondermouse at 10:13 PM on April 17, 2010

Thanks, guys! I think the female painted bunting it is.

We thought there was an eastern bluebird who stopped by too yesterday, but in light of this news, perhaps it was a male bunting partially hidden from view in the bushes. We'll be spying on their buffet line today to get better looks!
posted by MediaMer at 6:16 AM on April 18, 2010