We live in Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, New York, part of Gateway National Recreation Area. We're right next to the Verrazano-Narrows bridge, overlooking the Lower New York Bay. This is part of the Atlantic Flyway.
We saw the bird about 30 ft. from our terrace, in a tree. It was just sitting on the branch, doing nothing, actually looking a little dumb-founded. It eventually hopped to another branch. We also saw it turn its neck to the side.
It was about 10-12 in. in height. It was at first comparable to a humongous starling, since it resembled a starling's shape. But it was three times the size of a starling. It was tall, closer in size to a parrot or hawk (?). It had an elongated bill, similar again to the starling but longer, proportional to its overall size. Its most distinguishing characteristic was its black eye mask. It also had a white head and neck, and its overall color was a speckled gray and white/salt and pepper color.
Again, this was a tall, large bird in a tree, with elongated bill, white head and neck, black eye mask, and speckled gray/white/salt and pepper body, including the breast and wings. We did not see it fly. When it turned its neck, you could see how the white of the head and neck gradually turned to an overall speckled body.
Please help identify this bird, I find it nowhere in the books or online. Is it a migratory bird?
