Legsrus Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Hi Everyone. I am trying to identify a bird I have seen here over the years in my backyard. Unfortunately I do not have a picture but I cannot for the life of me find this bird anywhere on the internet. I just saw it yesterday in my tree around 8 am. It is a very small bird, a little larger than a hummingbird but smaller than a cardinal. It is a slim bird with a short beak. It has spotted grayish feathers and its most distinctive feature is that it has a red/maroon head and neck. It is a very vibrant and solid red/maroon, no other colors mixed in (and I do mean solid color). It travels in a flock as there are usually at least 20 to 30 near my feeder when I see them. They are usually here early in the morning or more often late in the evening around 4 or 5 pm. In the summertime it is later than that. I have not heard any distinctive noises from it but we have a lot of birds. It is definitely NOT a woodpecker or any other common bird that you might think of. I cannot even find a picture of this bird on the internet using Google which is weird because the entire head and neck are solid red. It is possible it is a migratory bird and not necessarily local to the Pensacola Florida area all year long. Any help would be appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bird Nuts Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 (edited) Are you able to get photos of them? Even a poor phone pic would probably be very helpful. Where do you usually see them (in a tree, eating from your feeders, on the ground)? EDIT: Welcome to Whatbird! Edited January 4, 2019 by The Bird Nuts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melierax Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Hm, well the first thing I thought was Red-headed or Red-bellied Woodpecker... hm. I agree, behavior would be great info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbvol50 Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 look up "house finch" on an ID site Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee_ keeper Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 9 minutes ago, hbvol50 said: look up "house finch" on an ID site Showing up 20 to 30 strong at the feeder in winter and/or summer definitely sounds like house finch behavior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legsrus Posted January 4, 2019 Author Share Posted January 4, 2019 2 hours ago, The Bird Nuts said: Are you able to get photos of them? Even a poor phone pic would probably be very helpful. Where do you usually see them (in a tree, eating from your feeders, on the ground)? EDIT: Welcome to Whatbird! Always in a tree, never on the ground. They do eat at the feeders and they are always in a group never alone. I will try and get a picture and post but whenever I see them I usually don’t have my phone on me and by the time I go back in the house and get it they have been startled and fly off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legsrus Posted January 4, 2019 Author Share Posted January 4, 2019 2 hours ago, The Bird Nuts said: Are you able to get photos of them? Even a poor phone pic would probably be very helpful. Where do you usually see them (in a tree, eating from your feeders, on the ground)? EDIT: Welcome to Whatbird! Always in a tree, never on the ground. They do eat at the feeders and they are always in a group never alone. I will try and get a picture and post but whenever I see them I usually don’t have my phone on me and by the time I go back in the house and get it they have been startled and fly off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legsrus Posted January 4, 2019 Author Share Posted January 4, 2019 Also tried house finch and that is not it either. The whole head and neck are solid red and I mean solid, not a hint of any other color present. It is head turning red for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 What's in the feeder that they visit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonesome55dove Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Are there any trees/shrubs or anything with red berries in the area? Sometimes diet will cause a change in feather color or intensify it. This is a crazy long-shot but have you looked at the Finch family of Munia/Mannikin. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metaquatic Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Possibly Scaley-breasted Munia or "Nutmeg Finch" in the pet shop. Invasive pets that got loose and are taking over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 2 hours ago, lonesome55dove said: Are there any trees/shrubs or anything with red berries in the area? Sometimes diet will cause a change in feather color or intensify it. This is a crazy long-shot but have you looked at the Finch family of Munia/Mannikin. ? I was wondering if this might be a flock of exotics hanging out together. The local Audubon group might know of a mass jail-break. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerri Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Scarlet Tanager? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elkeno Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 Vermilion flycatcher ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerMaeve Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 @Sean C, you're from FL, can you help at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerMaeve Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 (edited) Okay, I did my best from the description you gave, @Legsrus. Is is close at all or ?? Give me details on what needs to change. Edited January 7, 2019 by MerMaeve 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean C Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 molting Vermilion Flycatcher maybe? There have been several in north FL lately Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean C Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 @Legsrus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aveschapinas Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 On 1/3/2019 at 10:08 PM, Legsrus said: I will try and get a picture and post but whenever I see them I usually don’t have my phone on me and by the time I go back in the house and get it they have been startled and fly off. Try parking yourself as close to the feeder as possible (outside with them, not through a window) with your phone in position to get a photo. If you have a friend with a camera to help you that would be good too; it's hard to get bird photos with a phone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonesome55dove Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 1 hour ago, Sean C said: molting Vermilion Flycatcher maybe? There have been several in north FL lately Would they be in a flock of 20 to 30 birds? ? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aveschapinas Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 4 minutes ago, lonesome55dove said: Would they be in a flock of 20 to 30 birds? ? Or eating from a feeder... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdbrain22 Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 We need a picture! Don't worry about if it might not be great quality... we might be able to pick up something that seals the ID. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 @Legsrus, you aren't by any chance color-blind, maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinHood Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Red-crested Cardinal - a regular Florida escapee (but I don't think they do mass jail breaks). Really looking forward to the answer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TuftedTitrat Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 3 hours ago, RobinHood said: Red-crested Cardinal - a regular Florida escapee (but I don't think they do mass jail breaks). Really looking forward to the answer. This is what I was thinking as well OP, have you seen any birds similar to the red ones, but with a tan head? Also, what does the bill look like? Does it resemble that of a finch, or more of a chickadee, or maybe something closer to a woodpecker or nuthatch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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