Have had thrushes and blackbirds as usual at this time of year eating fallen apples but this afternoon there was a black bird with brown head and, after getting binoculars, brown wingtips. I googled it and Cowbird came up but not sure whether it has brown wingtips.
It's bigger than an adult blackbird and the thrushes. Anyone familiar with cowbirds in their garden? I'm in Hampshire. I'll keep my phone handy tomorrow to try and get a photo if it comes back. Never seen one before.
Blackbird going through it's moult, head is usually the last so that would explain your bird
Like so?
(Pardon the Scottish Accent)
Hi-
It's a young Blackbird moulting into adult
S
For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides, binoculars, scopes, tripods, etc - put 'Birding Tips' into the search box
Juvenile Starlings going into adult plumage are most frequently mistaken for cowbirds
body much bigger than an adult blackbird but maybe it was all puffed up - thank you
Body bigger than an adult blackbird but maybe he was all puffed up if he was moulting - thank you
body bigger than adult starling but same as for reply to juvenile blackbird posts, maybe it was puffed because it was moulting - thank you
thanks for replies everyone could well have been one or the other - but how come I've seen never one before. Blackbirds and starlings very common in this neck of the woods
Hi- how did you gauge its size?