TexasCobra Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 I would swear I have never seen this bird before. I have seen plenty of cardinals, house finches, robins and such. This bird was feeding at a feeder stocked with "trail mix" which is a combination of BOSS, nuts, and dried fruit. I ran for the camera. When I got back to my observation post the bird was gone. The bird was sparrow size. The tail was medium length. The overall shape (including beak) was consistent with a sparrow or finch or other seed eater. The belly was an incredibly brilliant crimson. The head and back were a grayish brown which I would describe as medium dark. The location is my backyard in Comal County. Do you have any suggestions for identification. I looked up Scarlet Tanager but that bird has a red head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKLland Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 Male Orchard Oriole in weird lighting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLecy Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 Molting or young cardinal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasCobra Posted July 27 Author Share Posted July 27 (edited) I think the cardinal has a longer tail. I looked up Orchard Oriole. That is possibly what I saw. The local habitat is similar to what was described. The lighting was shaded by three live oak trees. Edited July 27 by TexasCobra added info 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLecy Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 An Orchard Oriole wouldn’t necessarily have a seed eating beak though. They most feed on nectar, fruit and insects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiscalus quiscula Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 Rose-breasted Grosbeak? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasCobra Posted July 27 Author Share Posted July 27 Definitely not Rose-breasted Grosbeak. I saw no white markings. The belly of the bird I saw was entirely crimson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasCobra Posted July 27 Author Share Posted July 27 21 minutes ago, DLecy said: An Orchard Oriole wouldn’t necessarily have a seed eating beak though. They most feed on nectar, fruit and insects. I would not say that I got a good look at the beak. It was short enough to be consistent with that of a sparrow. I was on my second floor deck and looking down on the bird feeder. I had a good view of the back and belly and side of the bird but it was a view of about thirty seconds because I ran for the camera. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peromyscus Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 Painted Bunting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aveschapinas Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 4 hours ago, TexasCobra said: I would not say that I got a good look at the beak. It was short enough to be consistent with that of a sparrow. I was on my second floor deck and looking down on the bird feeder. I had a good view of the back and belly and side of the bird but it was a view of about thirty seconds because I ran for the camera. Orchard Orioles are small for orioles; I have confused them for sparrow or warbler type birds more than once. Also lighting can really affect the way colors look. And neither orioles nor tanagers should be eating from a seed feeder; I don't know if they eat dried fruit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWM Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 Vermillion Flycatcher with back in shadow? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKLland Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 3 hours ago, MWM said: Vermillion Flycatcher with back in shadow? On a bird feeder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasCobra Posted July 28 Author Share Posted July 28 I am still thinking the bird I saw most closely resembles an Orchard Oriole. It had a dark head all the way around. Thanks for all the help. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avery Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 Maybe a towhee? I know it’s more of a chestnut color in the sides but just a guess. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 Crimson-collared Grosbeak? If I remember right you had a female a few years ago? https://ebird.org/species/crcgro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonestranger Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 A Red-breasted Meadowlark would be waaaaayyyyy out of range, but strange things do happen in the world of birds. https://ebird.org/species/rebbla1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birds are cool Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 31 minutes ago, lonestranger said: A Red-breasted Meadowlark would be waaaaayyyyy out of range, but strange things do happen in the world of birds. https://ebird.org/species/rebbla1 They look like more of a Blackbird than a Meadowlark! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulK Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 3 hours ago, lonestranger said: A Red-breasted Meadowlark would be waaaaayyyyy out of range, but strange things do happen in the world of birds. https://ebird.org/species/rebbla1 Since it had a medium dark back maybe long-tailed is a better fit https://ebird.org/species/lotmea1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasCobra Posted July 28 Author Share Posted July 28 The Grosbeaks look too fat. My bird was leaner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 4 hours ago, Birds are cool said: They look like more of a Blackbird than a Meadowlark! That's because they are in the family icteridae. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulK Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 1 hour ago, PaulK said: Since it had a medium dark back maybe long-tailed is a better fit https://ebird.org/species/lotmea1 (This was supposed to be a joke btw, I'm not seriously suggesting this) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birds are cool Posted July 28 Share Posted July 28 6 hours ago, Kevin said: That's because they are in the family icteridae. I know. I was just surprised, because when I first saw it I had to do a double take Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWM Posted July 31 Share Posted July 31 Okay, next guess: Painted Redstart? I had one North of McAllen a few years ago. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKLland Posted July 31 Share Posted July 31 59 minutes ago, MWM said: Okay, next guess: Painted Redstart? I had one North of McAllen a few years ago. At a feeder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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