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Does Anyone Recognize This Bird?

12 years ago

Wondering if anyone recognizes this bird. She's been planting sunflowers and peanuts (yes, peanuts in SoCal!) in my yard this summer. She has a black head and white underbelly. She spooks easily so this picture is as close as I could get. She's slightly larger than the size of a sparrow.

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Comments (5)

TulsaRose
12 years ago
Dark-eyed Junco perhaps?

Here is a link that might be useful: Dark-eyed Junco
sixeye
Original Author
12 years ago
Yes, thank you! Mine looks like the Black Phoebe variation found on the Audubon web site. Thanks for the ID!

Here is a link that might be useful: Black Phoebe on Audubon
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birding_nut
12 years ago
It looks more like a Black Phoebe to me than a junco. Especially given how far the black extends down the breast and into the belly. A junco in So California all summer would be unusual and would most likely be the Oregon race which doesn't look like a Black Phoebe.

BN
alan_la
12 years ago
Yes that's a Flycatcher,a Black Phoebe, sixeye, you'll have to find another culprit for your Peanut, and Sunflower plantings, try a Scrub Jay.
tmff
12 years ago
sixeye,

Perhaps you encountered some confusion while using that Audubon site. The Black Phoebe is an entirely separate species (listed as a "similar species"), not a variation of Dark-eyed Junco. Audubon.org listed similar species based on similarities in appearance.

Your bird is a Black Phoebe. As mentioned above, they are a species of flycatcher and eat only insects.

Good eye, though, in noticing your bird looked more like the phoebe on that page.

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