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Bird ID, but no pic!

17 years ago

I've had a new visitor twice this week and have never seen this bird. It might be in the oriole family, but I can't id it from my bird books. The back and wings are dark gray or black, orange/yellow breast with a white stripe over the eye.

With my binocs, I tried to look at all the markings, but it flew away pretty quickly. Once, it was perched on my fence and took a few seeds. A few days later, it hopped on my suet feeder and quickly took off. This isn't much to go on, but any help is appreciated. Thanks

Donna

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Comments (4)

bbcathy
17 years ago
Donna I don't remember where you are at but could it be an Evening Grosbeak?
Cathy
donnalovesblue
Original Author
17 years ago
Cathy, I'm in East Central MS...it's not the grosbeak. Checking again in my current Audubon book, the only bird that half way resembles it, is the yellow breasted chat..but I don't think that's it either. The bird I saw was much darker and more orange on the breast. The white stripe above the eye was longer. This is going to drive me crazy!
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bbcathy
17 years ago
Oh yes I think that is way to far south for Evening Grosbeaks. That is all I could think of off the top of my head.
Cathy
feather_z9_ncacoast
17 years ago
Here's a molting into adult plumage male Bullock's Oriole:

{{!gwi}}

Here's an adult male Bullock's Oriole:

Here's an adult male Baltimore Oriole:

{{!gwi}}

A collection of orioles in various plumages:

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