Whatbird.com

I have a growing collection of pictures of birds, nests, and situations that are odd or out of place.  Photgog's picture of a tailless hummer spurred me to start an oddity thread.  I have a number of pictures of deformities and never knew this type of thing was that prevalent.  It could be the heat.  This one is a House Finch.

    

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Latest Birds: Eastern Kingbird, Rufous-backed Robin, Crissal Thrasher, Bewick's Wren, Cedar Waxwing, Townsend's Solitaire, Savannah Sparrow

Hi Matt

 From the reading I have done on the house finch it would appear that when they migrated to the east and west they had only a very small gene pool. As a result that is why you see red,orange and yellow colorings all the eye infections with the house finch and in your case the deformed beak.

Therefore any deformity that a house finch has is going to passed on due to the limited gene pool.

It gives that Ray Stevens song " I am my own grand pa " a whole new meaning.

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My New Avatar is in memory of Nancy my darling wife of 10 years who passed away on Monday November the 16th 2009 after an illness

My photo gallery http://thekiwi.org/photography/index.php

This Yellow-(crooked)billed Magpie was around for a short time last year, but I only saw it a couple of times. I don't think it survived very long. Not likely, anyhow, given its condition.

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We did not inherit Mother Earth from our ancestors...... we have borrowed Her from our descendants.
Chief Seattle (paraphrased)

The problem I am having is that I see it often.  Here is a Western Tanager with a comparison to a normal bill. 

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Latest Birds: Eastern Kingbird, Rufous-backed Robin, Crissal Thrasher, Bewick's Wren, Cedar Waxwing, Townsend's Solitaire, Savannah Sparrow

Black-chinned Hummingbird

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Latest Birds: Eastern Kingbird, Rufous-backed Robin, Crissal Thrasher, Bewick's Wren, Cedar Waxwing, Townsend's Solitaire, Savannah Sparrow

OK, my son says dad, put out some water and you will attract more birds.  So I used a garbage can lid and fill it with fresh water each morning.  Within a week I get this visitor.  The picture was taken through two panes of glass so a bit fuzzy.  I have never seen a raptor at a bird bath....

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Latest Birds: Eastern Kingbird, Rufous-backed Robin, Crissal Thrasher, Bewick's Wren, Cedar Waxwing, Townsend's Solitaire, Savannah Sparrow

What is a Wood Stork doing in Phoenix?

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Latest Birds: Eastern Kingbird, Rufous-backed Robin, Crissal Thrasher, Bewick's Wren, Cedar Waxwing, Townsend's Solitaire, Savannah Sparrow

Two winters ago, within the first few weeks of starting birding, I noticed this Ross's Goose flying with a flock of about 100+ Canada Geese.  It came back again last winter, this time joined by 3 Snow Geese.  It is not a valid entry for the WhatBird search program when the location is Arizona. 

Edit: CTcrystal just informed me that the WhatBird search program has been updated and that the Ross's now shows up on the Arizona search.  

 

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Latest Birds: Eastern Kingbird, Rufous-backed Robin, Crissal Thrasher, Bewick's Wren, Cedar Waxwing, Townsend's Solitaire, Savannah Sparrow

This isn't an "abnormality" but I found it very funny, as I never saw it before (some of you may have seen this in your outings).  Look how these Black-necked Stilts are "sitting", with their legs bent like a "chair".  I never knew they did this!

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Life List: 139
Latest: Cedar Waxwing!!!!!!!

That may be normal for them, Curlybird, but I've never seen it before either!! Interesting photo.

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We did not inherit Mother Earth from our ancestors...... we have borrowed Her from our descendants.
Chief Seattle (paraphrased)

I've seen flamingos do that before.  It does look rather odd, but I guess it's comfortable for them.

Another beak problem.  Was hoping for a Crissal and all I got was a deformed Curve-billed (top and bottom shots).  The middle picture is a standard CBTH in comparison to the odd bird.  Notice the offset in the bottom picture.

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Latest Birds: Eastern Kingbird, Rufous-backed Robin, Crissal Thrasher, Bewick's Wren, Cedar Waxwing, Townsend's Solitaire, Savannah Sparrow

Looks like I have a hybrid.... white-winged grackle

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Latest Birds: Eastern Kingbird, Rufous-backed Robin, Crissal Thrasher, Bewick's Wren, Cedar Waxwing, Townsend's Solitaire, Savannah Sparrow

NEENER NEENER

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Latest Birds: Eastern Kingbird, Rufous-backed Robin, Crissal Thrasher, Bewick's Wren, Cedar Waxwing, Townsend's Solitaire, Savannah Sparrow

 I've been seeing this guy around for about a week. At first I thought one of his pals had an "accident" on him.

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- Steve

Latest lifers: Whooping Crane, Prairie Falcon, Fox Sparrow