[Not my pic--Purple Finch vs. House Finch]

Take a look at facial pattern. That's the biggest thing for me. Purple Finches have darker auriculars and malar stripes than House Finches. 

[House finch with long bill]

Dang. That's a bill deformity, poor bird. The yellow coloration indicates it's not getting enough nutrition as well.

[Wren sized bird]

Oh! Yellow-rumped Warbler?

[Wren sized bird]

Welcome to Whatbird!

Just from the black and white tail I'd be inclined to suggest Eastern Towhee, but that doesn't exactly match with everything else. Did you notice any other features like beak shape, leg color, etc?

[Sparrow Song]

Sounds fine for Song Sparrow.

[Guess the bird by it's tail challenge!]

Isn't a FEHA right

[West Houston mystery call]

I can see a Blue Jay for this one.

[Bird calls - this morning, at my southern NJ home (Ocean County)]

Welcome!!

Both are Carolina Wrens. Different variations on their "teakettle teakettle teakettle" song. I'm currently in PA and there's plenty here, I'd assume that NJ is similar. I think they're relatively common throughout the east.

[Guess the bird by it's tail challenge!]

2 hours ago, Aaron said:

Eurasian collared dove?

Correct! 

[Guess the bird by it's tail challenge!]

1 hour ago, The Bird Nuts said:

Rock Pigeon?

 

1 hour ago, Colton V said:

Snow bunting lol i have no idea

 

1 hour ago, Connor Cochrane said:

Rough-legged Hawk?

 

19 minutes ago, Aidan B said:

Dark-eyed Junco?

All wrong

[Guess the bird by it's tail challenge!]

Oh, my bad! Didn't see the defer.

[January 2021 Confirmations/Uncertainties]

Do you happen to have photos of a DCCO sitting on the same branch? IMO the tail is long enough to be Neotropic, but I couldn't be certain. 

[Junco Ssp.]

Why was Cassiar Junco ruled out? Features of oregon and slate-colored are here - fairly well defined hood, gray sides though, and a brown back. 

[Guess the bird by it's tail challenge!]

Worm-eating Warbler?

[Identify this Hawk please?]

On 1/26/2021 at 1:08 PM, Tony Leukering said:

The heavily banded tail points well away from Rough-legged (see cropped, lightened version of pic). The whitish front to the face does suggest Harlan's, but I'd want better photos with different angles before actually reporting the beast as a Harlan's.

Thanks! Just curious - I've recently been interested in RTHA x RLHA hybrids. Since this bird does have a substantial dark tail tip, is this a possibility? I also think the beak looks a bit small for Red-tailed, the angle is tough though.

[Identify this Hawk please?]

1 minute ago, Birdfan56 said:

Thank you!

You should wait for more opinions. I'm not confident this isn't a Rough-legged Hawk.

[Identify this Hawk please?]

Looks pretty good for a Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk (possibly light morph?). Lack of a white base to the tail rules out Rough-legged Hawk.

EDIT: Just checked eBird reports, Harlan's would be quite rare. I'm not sure what else this could be. 

[Guess the bird by it's tail challenge!]

1 minute ago, Seanbirds said:

Long-billed Curlew?

Yep!

[Guess the bird by it's tail challenge!]

4 minutes ago, Kevin said:

Eastern/Western Meadowlark?

Nope

[Guess the bird by it's tail challenge!]

Might be too easy, might be hard, idk...

[Guess the bird by it's tail challenge!]

59 minutes ago, Birding Boy said:

Yup, you got it! I considered doing Hoary redpoll but that might have been too cruel haha.

Ooh so I get to do another one then.... let me get one

[Guess the bird by it's tail challenge!]

4 minutes ago, Birding Boy said:

No. 
here’s a hint: Michigan, January. Should rule out some options.

Common Redpoll?

[Guess the bird by it's tail challenge!]

2 minutes ago, Birding Boy said:

Yay! Nice shot of one!

I’ve got one for y’all. Might be too easy.

PIne siskin?

[Guess the bird by it's tail challenge!]

[Haven Kestrel Cam]

We're back everyone!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjNB6VN1RFLp7pMG9aVqrMg/live