What is this bird?? Looks like a towhee with black eyes.
Started by In my backyard, Jun 10 2012 05:02 AM
10 replies to this topic
#1
In my backyard
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Posted 10 June 2012 - 05:02 AM
I'm really confused what bird this is. Looks like a Towhee to me but has black eyes. Please help id? Thank you.
#2
ceylon
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Posted 10 June 2012 - 05:09 AM
It looks like a Black-headed Grosbeak. It's a great bird. I saw my first one a few days ago. Congratulations. I love that you can see them on feeders.
My "best" lifers; Golden Eagle and Crested Mynah.
New birds 2013; Red Flanked Bluetail (Queen's Park, New Westminster Jan 15, 2013), Gyrfalcon (Hastings Park/Viterra building near Second Narrows, Jan 26, 2013), Brambling (Laurel/17th Feb 5th/2013), Red-naped Sapsucker (west side of Fraserview golf course, in lane by 7878 Vivian, Apr 5/2013). Sora (pond at Colony Farm April 8/13).
New birds 2012; Black throated gray warbler, Cassin's vireo, (Hammond's Flycatcher,Chipping Sparrow were id'd at bird banding station), Vaux Swift, Cliff Swallow, Dowitcher, Merlin, Peregrine, Eastern Kingbird, Spotted Sandpiper, YHBB, Caspian Tern, Purple Martin, Warbling Vireo, Western Tanager.
New birds 2013; Red Flanked Bluetail (Queen's Park, New Westminster Jan 15, 2013), Gyrfalcon (Hastings Park/Viterra building near Second Narrows, Jan 26, 2013), Brambling (Laurel/17th Feb 5th/2013), Red-naped Sapsucker (west side of Fraserview golf course, in lane by 7878 Vivian, Apr 5/2013). Sora (pond at Colony Farm April 8/13).
New birds 2012; Black throated gray warbler, Cassin's vireo, (Hammond's Flycatcher,Chipping Sparrow were id'd at bird banding station), Vaux Swift, Cliff Swallow, Dowitcher, Merlin, Peregrine, Eastern Kingbird, Spotted Sandpiper, YHBB, Caspian Tern, Purple Martin, Warbling Vireo, Western Tanager.
#3
BigSkyKen
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Posted 10 June 2012 - 05:13 AM
Black-headed Grosbeak seconded! Nice find!
Ken Bryan
Visit My Nature & Wildlife Blog: His Creation
Visit My Nature & Wildlife Blog: His Creation
#4
In my backyard
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Posted 10 June 2012 - 05:17 AM
Boy there sure are a bunch of different kinds of Grosbeaks then? Here are some other kinds that hang out in my backyard now and then. The first frame I was told is a Black Headed and the second frame I was told are Evening Grosbeaks. Just how many different breeds are there?
#5
Sparky the Cuttlefish
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Posted 10 June 2012 - 05:27 AM
Here:
1. Male Black-headed Grosbeak
2. Female Black-headed Grosbeak
3. Male (left) and female Evening Grosbeak
There are several different species of "grosbeak" but just to make in confusing there are birds called grosbeaks in a few different families. So the Black-headed Grosbeak (like their close relative the Rose-breasted Grosbeak) are in Cardinalidae, I believe, so related to cardinals, but the Evening Grosbeak is actually a finch.
1. Male Black-headed Grosbeak
2. Female Black-headed Grosbeak
3. Male (left) and female Evening Grosbeak
There are several different species of "grosbeak" but just to make in confusing there are birds called grosbeaks in a few different families. So the Black-headed Grosbeak (like their close relative the Rose-breasted Grosbeak) are in Cardinalidae, I believe, so related to cardinals, but the Evening Grosbeak is actually a finch.
"The cracker chooses the cheese, Harry"
#6
BigSkyKen
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Posted 10 June 2012 - 05:35 AM
Limpkin, if you look up the BHG on this site, the description begins with the following, "Black-headed Grosbeak: Large, stocky finch"
So, is it not a finch or is Whatbird's information incorrect?
So, is it not a finch or is Whatbird's information incorrect?
Ken Bryan
Visit My Nature & Wildlife Blog: His Creation
Visit My Nature & Wildlife Blog: His Creation
#7
Sparky the Cuttlefish
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Posted 10 June 2012 - 05:45 AM
Yup, the Clements Checklist, eBird, Sibley, Wikipedia, etc. currently list the Pheucticus genus Grosbeaks as Cardinalids - I guess it must just be a typo on the Whatbird database. 
Of course, it doesn't help that common names can be so confusing, either!
Of course, it doesn't help that common names can be so confusing, either!
"The cracker chooses the cheese, Harry"
#8
BarnSwallow
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Posted 10 June 2012 - 12:08 PM
The northern cardinal used to be called the cardinal grosbeak. As Limpkin mentioned, they are species, not breeds. Breeds are varieties of the same species, developed by selective breeding by man.
#9
psweet
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Posted 10 June 2012 - 06:02 PM
To add to the confusion, a lot of sources will call any bird with a large, conical bill a finch. And there are several families of birds called finches, and two called sparrows!
#10
BigSkyKen
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Posted 10 June 2012 - 06:15 PM
Glad we got that cleared up...it is murkier than ever now!
Ken Bryan
Visit My Nature & Wildlife Blog: His Creation
Visit My Nature & Wildlife Blog: His Creation
#11
In my backyard
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Posted 12 June 2012 - 02:34 AM
It looks like a Black-headed Grosbeak. It's a great bird. I saw my first one a few days ago. Congratulations. I love that you can see them on feeders.
All my feeders are 20 - 30 feet from my backdoor and kitchen window. Makes it really easy to take pictures of them.
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