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bird ID help

16 years ago

Awhile ago, there was a large bird in my yard which at first I thought was a pigeon. It was black, or very dark mostly all over. When it flew off, the entire underneath of its wings were white. It's head was a shiny bluish color like a grackle, but it was about twice the size of a grackle, maybe larger. As soon as it saw me, it took off, so I didn't get a picture. That is all the info that I can remember.

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Comments (3)

rachel_frome_ky
16 years ago
Maybe it's an escapee
feather_z9_ncacoast
16 years ago
Or, possibly. . .a Band-tailed Pigeon?
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Nice, didn't think of that. I was going Vireo. I think your right. Thanks.
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donnas_gw
Original Author
16 years ago
feather, I'm on the east coast (VA). I'm not exactly sure how to read these range maps in the bird reference book, but it shows the band-tailed pigeon is out your way, along the west coast, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and parts of Mexico.

Whatever that bird was, I haven't seen since that day. I had 2 feeders up, but took one down last week and the second one down this morning. I'm not feeding cracked corn or any cheap food for critters. I was getting tired of the grackles and starlings. I've been feeding hummers for several years now, and it is WAY less expensive to do so.

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