« Fashion writing done well | Main | Mark Begich wins in Alaska »

November 21, 2008

Okay, what bird is this?

Observed outside the craigslist offices, offering passers-by and staff the spectacle of me chasing a bird with my cameraphone. They're more brownish than my photos suggest.

Posted at 06:07 AM |

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d834fd816853ef010536127e96970c

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Okay, what bird is this?:

Comments

it looks like a starling with some cool color mutations maybe?

Posted by: Stacey Pfeifer | November 21, 2008 at 10:29 AM

I thought it might be a molting juvenile starling, but that seems late in season. And the tail and beak look almost grackle-ish in year photo...

Posted by: greenskeptic | November 21, 2008 at 01:00 PM

It looks to me like a Brewer's Blackbird with some kind of pigment mutation. Cornell's Ornithology lab has some photos and a range map (which indicates year round residence in California): http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Brewers_Blackbird_dtl.html

Posted by: Marc | November 21, 2008 at 01:13 PM

I agree with Marc: Looks like a leucistic male Brewer's Blackbird.

Posted by: John Callender | November 21, 2008 at 09:10 PM

Partially-albino Brewer's Blackbird. Here is a good comparison image.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3207/2869562015_c6ff908279.jpg

Posted by: Robin | November 22, 2008 at 05:21 AM

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

Posted by:  | 

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment