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Need help identifying this bird

Posted by paulsiu (My Page) on
Sun, Nov 1, 09 at 21:10

Hi,

This bird has started to appear on my patio. It doesn't go to the bird feeder but feed on the ground. Can someone tell me what this bird is?

Here is a link that might be useful: Gray Bird


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Need help identifying this bird

I'm pretty sure that is a junco. They are so pretty!
They are ground feeders too I believe.


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RE: Need help identifying this bird

I agree a junco. Remember as you are learning about the birds in your area that some are ground feeders or platform feeders so if you have a large amount of snow go out and tramp an area under your bird feeders so they can eat.

Since you are somewhat a newbie at feeding critters start watching the birds and notate what kind of weather causes them to eat more. In this area when a really bad storm is on the way the birds ignore each other for about 36 hours before we git dumped on by heavy snow.


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RE: Need help identifying this bird

I think it is a Junco. What's weird is that most of the ground feeding birds hang around the feeder. The Junco stays mostly on the patio.

I have been attracting them by throwing some thistle seeds on the patio. If I thrown sunflower seeds, the squirrel will eat it in 3 sec. They tend not to eat thistle seeds. May be because the seeds are too small.

Paul


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RE: Need help identifying this bird

It may be possible that this junco is more of an insect eater than the rest. Watch to see if it appears to be picking up things between the cracks in patio.


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RE: Need help identifying this bird

I think the issue is that the feeder contains black oil sunflower seed, which are too big for Junco, so they don't stay under the feeder like the other birds.

They seemed to like the thistle seeds, but when they get scare, some of the end up hitting the window. I put the seed 3 feet from the windows for now so they can't built up enough velocity to hurt themselves.


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RE: Need help identifying this bird

Go to target or walmart or other store that has hobby stuff. They have a colored gel decorations that will stick to the window. If you put in an haphazard fashion on window you will hav less birds hit.

Here the juncos eat anything smaller than themselves. They do sometimes follow the chickadee pattern of taking one seed going off and eating then coming back for more. Really funny to watch them try to take apple slices off to eat by themselves.

your bird could also be banned from the flock. It sometimes happens.


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