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The Kitchen Table

Bird Watchers

12 years ago

My husband and I put a squirrel and bird feeder on a tree that is just outside of our family room window. I love the squirrels and birds. I have been hand feeding a squirrel for about two years now. We have just had the birds coming to the feeder and I have seen a few that I just can't identify. I have gone on the computer, but no luck. We live in Central Florida. The first bird is small, black and has white stripes on the top of his body. He has been to the feeder several times but doesn't stay long enough for me to get a snapshot. The second one is colored like a parrot but is small like a sparrow. He has a blue head, green wings, and a black body. His tail feathers are red. He is beautiful but I just can.t find him on the computer or in my bird books. I have never seen these birds before.The other I have seen is brown like a robin but his stomach is not orange but bright red.Anyone here know what birds they are?

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Comments (10)

lydia1959
12 years ago
The colorful bird sounds like a Painted Bunting. Not sure about the others.. hope someone here can help you ID them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Painted Bunting
dees_1
12 years ago
The birding forum might be helpful. I agree with the Pained Bunting assessment and that's one of my wish list birds! I don't know about the last one.

I also like using Cornell's birding site when I can't easily figure it out or when I want to confirm a song.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cornell Lab of Orinthology
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jemdandy
12 years ago
The small black bird with white stripes may be in the warbler family. They start their migration about this time of year and will be passing through states north of the Ohio river in late March.

Your technicolored, sparrow sized bird probably is a warm climate bird and does not travel very far north.

For the robin sized bird with red breast, look under oriole. Often, the males are heard before they are seen, because during the mating and early nesting season, they have a loud distintive song. Early arrivals, when food is scarce, can be attracted with freshly cut fruit such oranges.
renee_fl
12 years ago
It sounds like it might be a Black and White Warbler for the black and white one, but generally speaking, they don't come to feeders, and if they do it's briefly. Maybe a Downy Woodpecker?

Definitely a male Painted Bunting for the colorful one, and maybe a male House Finch for the red bellied one. The Painted Bunting has a red belly too, though, so maybe all you saw was the red belly and thought it was a different bird. The female is non-descript; look at her and see if one of the mystery birds was a female Painted Bunting.
lynn_d
12 years ago
If you enjoy the birds I have to encourage you to get a good bird book. I have Stoke's and love it, I've had it for well over 20 years. I agree with the painted bunting, they are so beautiful!
mboston_gw
12 years ago
I live in Lakeland we have so many different types of warblers, sparrows and wrens passing through now in migration. If you get pictures, you can send them by email to the local audubon and they can ID them for you.

BTW, last weekend was the Great Backyard Bird Count and it was fun to report all the different types that come into the backyard. I even had a Yellow Rumped Warbler for the first time that came with a small flock of Chirrping Sparrows.
susanjf_gw
12 years ago
can't help too far north for your pretties! the most i get a bright tiny yellow, cardinals, wrens, sparrows and my very fave doves...had quite a shock last year! buzzard pair landed on our shed! last week a small hawk greeted us!

se mi...
JoanMN
12 years ago
We are in teh Ocala National Forest for 5.5 months a year, and we had a painted bunting once. What a thrill!
FlamingO in AR
12 years ago
Look up Rose Breasted Grosbeaks and see if that's your bird with the bright red breast/chest.

I was going to guess Painted Bunting for the parrot-colored bird, too.
sandiefl
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank you so much for your help. I always get help right here at the KT! You are all right about the Painted Bunting. He was back today and brought a friend. I tried to get pictures but when I move toward the window, they fly away. I haven't found the other two yet but I am sure I will. We went for a ride today after Church and went on our Nature Trail, we saw a lot of ducks, herons,cranes, and a pink flamingo. Also, we saw a really large alligator.Jim said that he must have been at least 11 feet long. We saw another smaller one. The only thing about that trail, is I have never seen a squirrel or rabbit out there.

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