Whatbird.com

Would appreciate your help identifying a striking little bird I saw for the first time yesterday. 

Location/Site: Central Alabama.  On the ground feeding in a cleared area of my yard with cover near small bush/fence in the late afternoon.  I have a few acres that are heavily wooded, mostly with pines, and a small creek close by.  I happened upon him as a walked through the yard. 

Description:  A beautiful small bird with an extraordinary wash of deep red to maroon covering his head and throat.  The dark red on the back of his head gave way to a light-medium brownish color on his back, wings, tail and the underparts appeared pale gray or grayish-brown color.  He flew near the ground a few feet away and stayed still for a couple of minutes in some leaves.  There was regular wing motion and no unusual flight pattern that I could detect - just that he stayed close to the ground and didn't go far, even after being startled.  He then flew back to the spot where he was initally feeding on the ground about 10 feet away from me, which was surprising. He took safflower seed from a songbird mix.  He had a tiny beak, small/straight, and it took a while to eat a single seed.  He was quite small in size (no bigger than a Sparrow and not as thin as some of them appear to be) -perhaps 4-5" with long with a little rounded pot belly and tiny feet.  I am not certain but believe the eyes, beak, and feet were brown to black.  His head was small and round, no topknot/tuft, etc., and the tail was fairly short (but not as abbreviated as that of a Nuthatch).   I do not recall any specific markings or other outstanding features, except that I believe there may have been some white/black bands near the wing tips.  I was only able to observe by standing still for those few moments, so there was no "photo opp", nor did I hear his song.

Thanks in advance.

Regards from the South,

DCR

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DCR

My first thought was the House Finch, but other folks might have some other suggestions.

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A variety of finches visit, but none I have ever seen, including the House Finch, resemble this bird.  Thanks for the suggestion.

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DCR

Nice description, thanks for taking the time to do that.

The only thing I can think up is House Finch, as previously suggested. Are you possitive this isn't it??

 

 

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/featherbrain1223/

My pleasure.

Definitely not a House Finch.  Thanks for checking in.

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DCR

Here are a few more details for clarification.  There were no streaks or spots on this bird, and the colors were all soft.  The most prominent feature being the deep red wash (not bright red like a Cardinal) that covered the nape of his neck, head and throat.  The beak was tweezer-like and smaller than his head, not conical like that of a Finch.  Besides the feet being tiny, the legs were very slight as well.

I believe it is probably in the Gnatcatcher family or something similar.  There is some resemblence to the smaller Warblers, except that their feet/legs seem too large. I haven't been able to find any that look quite like my visitor, who I am sure was just passing by.

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DCR

Hmmmmm, this is very confusing, most warblers are in central and south america right now, except for Pine and Yellow-rumped, which defenitely don't fit your description. Most warblers feed on insects anyway. Since your bird was eating at the feeder, this greatly narrows it down to a few species. Not many birds with thin bills eats seeds, so this in itself really narrows it down. The only other thing is Purple Finch, siimilar to House Finch, so most likely not. I live in GA, pretty close to AL, and this winter Purple Finches haven't come down, most likely since it's been so warm, so this pretty much rules them out.

 

You've given a great description, I think you've stumped us this time, the only other thing I think would help would be a photo or a drawing, which apparently you don't have.

 

 

 

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/featherbrain1223/

I don't really think it is a Warbler, it just appeared to more closely resemble them than Finches.  More likely, perhaps a type of Gnatcathcher that I haven't come across as yet, which seems consistent with the small, straight beak and the long time it took him to eat a single safflower seed.  He was feeding on the ground, where seeds had dropped, not from the feeder.

I am no artist, so a sketch is out; but certainly hope to get a pic if he should happen to favor me with another visit. 

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DCR

Gnatcathcers eat almost 100% insects, and none of the gnatcatchers I'm aware of (even in different countries) don't have any sort of red on them at all, just gray and black. Gnatcatchers also are extremely hyper, rarely do you ever see a gnatcatcher just sit there.

 

Let us know if you see him again or if you get a picture of him.

 

 

 

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