Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Mystery Bird

Tuesday, November 13, 2007
17 comments
It's been a while since I've posted a Mystery Bird photograph. It's not that I don't have TONS of horrible bird images in which the subject species is utterly unrecognizable (I do). In fact I seem to have a knack for capturing that exact kind of image.

It's just that the whole Mystery Bird thing is done, and done pretty well, in so many other places that it makes a body think: Does the world really need another Mystery Bird Blogger?

This deep philosophical pondering is immediately forgotten when I need to make a new post and... Hey! I know! Let's do a Mystery Bird thing!

So here it is. A bird photographed this autumn in these United States. Yes, it's flying. Yes, it's flying away from you (and me). And them's all yer hints fer now.


Place all of your guesses in the comments section. Good luck and be careful out there.

17 comments:

On November 13, 2007 at 9:09 AM Patrick Belardo said...

Pileated Woodpecker?

On November 13, 2007 at 12:00 PM Harley said...

I think it's a Golden Eagle, Bill.

On November 13, 2007 at 12:29 PM Phil Kenny said...

I could be an immature Golden Eagle showing white patches at the base of the primaries. I can't tell if that is white showing in the tail. Is that one little bit of white there? Phil

On November 13, 2007 at 1:28 PM Andy said...

The wings look too short for Golden Eagle to me, so I'm making an out-there guess: immature Harris' Hawk.

On November 13, 2007 at 2:40 PM Anonymous said...

I vote for an Imm. Golden Eagle

On November 13, 2007 at 4:37 PM Andy said...

I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm saying Common Nighthawk, based on the white strip on the left wing.

On November 13, 2007 at 7:09 PM Erik said...

I'll take a different approach. I think it's a Turkey Vulture.

On November 13, 2007 at 8:49 PM Bill of the Birds said...

All good guesses. One of you is already correct. Answer to come soon.

On November 13, 2007 at 8:54 PM Jayne said...

I'm with Patrick... my first thought was a Pileated.

On November 13, 2007 at 9:47 PM KatDoc said...

Without looking at the other answers:

Common Nighthawk?

~Kathi

On November 13, 2007 at 11:59 PM Mike Hendrickson said...

I am going with Pileated Woodpecker for two reasons.

1. There is small triangle bump on the upper side of the bird and that looks like the hind end section of the Pileated Woodpecker.

2. I see on the wing tips that the primaries are fingered or fanned out and that is something I see on pileateds and rarely ever in flight the primaries are fanned out like that.

So my instinct tells me its a Pileated Woodpecker.

On November 14, 2007 at 9:40 AM Andy said...

I'm now in the Pileated camp after looking at the primaries in more detail as Mike H suggests. Interesting how a round-shaped wing can look pointed during parts of its flap.

On November 14, 2007 at 11:34 AM Nature Knitter's Mom Betty K] said...

Sorry I don't know or recognize your bird picture.
I do want to thank you for all the pictures from your trip to South America. They were absolutely the best, these are birds I would NEVER EVER SEE, except on you blog. Thank you for the experience of a lifetime to go along via the internet, your the best for sharing.
Nature Knitter's Mom [Betty K]

On November 14, 2007 at 1:10 PM Andy said...

One thing for sure, it's not an Ivory-billed Woodpecker. I'm thinking Pileated Woodpecker now myself, as I look closer at the picture. The shape of the bird seems too stocky for a goatsucker.

On November 14, 2007 at 3:57 PM Chris W said...

I say Pileated woodpecker.
here's why:
there's only three birds with this approximate body shape that have white markings on the top of the wing. Pileated woodpecker, Golden eagle and C Nighthawk. it's a little too stocky for a nighthawk and the primaries shown on the right wing don't fit. rule out CNHA. It looks too small and hawklike to be a golden eagle. the wings are too short and the white marking doesn't look right. too curved. the body also looks more like a woodpecker than an eagle the left wing has a slight curve in it. characteristic of a bird who has deep wingbeats. Not the straight, flat wing one would expect to see in a soaring eagle. Eagles also have rather shorter wingbeats so they can use a flater wing. so I think Pileated is the best choice here.

On November 14, 2007 at 5:19 PM Bill of the Birds said...

y'all are good! It's a pileated! Thx for playing!

On November 23, 2007 at 11:04 PM theclan@triotel.net said...

Vulture,can not tell for sure if it is a Black or Turkey.
Beings Thanksgiving was yesterday I'll say Turkey.
"OH, by the way 'Happy Thanksgiving"


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