# Do You REALLY Know Your Birds?



## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Ya know .. it is really, really difficult for all of us humans to reconcile all our feelings and prejudices about many things in life .. that may include birds, animals, other people, certain types of cars .. who knows?

English House Sparrows, European Starlings, and Rock Pigeons did NOT get to this continent on their own (I'm not totally convinced about that in regard to Rock Pigeons just yet, but I'm writing an article that includes info on that). Humans brought these birds to North America, and the birds thrived here. What exactly were the birds supposed to do? Fly back to the European or Asian continent? They have been here for a couple of hundred years .. that would make most human residents in the U.S. a bonafide citizen .. these poor underbirds don't even have green cards. They are vilified at every turn, shunned by permitted wildlife centers, and generally just considered throw away wildlife .. "You know .. it's JUST one of those little brown birds that are everywhere" .. I hear this "just little brown bird" thing probably a hundred times a year .. problem is .. Is that little brown bird a sparrow or a house finch (and sometimes ya gotta wonder if it's brown at all). If it's a house finch, it can and will go to a permitted rehabber/center .. if it's a sparrow, then that little bird better hope that I'm home or that my rehabber friend is home .. the others won't take them .. no matter what .. finder is stuck with a sick or injured bird or baby bird and can't get any help from the permitted places.

Let's do a little self testing here .. let's just see how well we all know our birds. This is both for fun and education, so nobody needs to get unduly stressed or upset. 

Terry


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*Pics 1-4*

#1 - Is there a House Finch in this photo?










#2 - Is this a Sparrow?










#3 - Is this a baby pigeon?










#4 - Are these sparrows?


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*Pics 5-8*

#5 - Are all of these house finches?










#6 - Are these Mockingbirds?










#7 - Is there a house finch in this photo










#8 - Is this a sparrow nest:


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*Pics 9 & 10*

#9 - Is this a house finch:










#10 - Is this is a baby sparrow:


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

Wow Terry,

The only one I knew for sure was the baby pigeon #3. Guess I'd better go back to the books. I can tell adult finches from sparrows, but not the little ones. That last baby, the totally naked one, poor tyke, he doesn't even have fluff or down. I want to give him a feather duster to cuddle under.

That was a neat test.

Margaret


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## jameswaller (Nov 4, 2008)

terry,.those are just little brown birds,some aren,t even dressed,how embarressing..RRRRRRRRRRRRRR,. .4-14-06-my neighbor said his dog had this in his mouth-with a clinched hand-opened it and i saw a little something-unsure-i said i think it is a rabbit ,i kept him in my chest pocket on cotton balls and kitten formula in a bottle in my other pocket,for about 3 weeks until i could say yep,it is a western u.s.cottontail,..there are birds i feed that i don,t even know exactly what kind they are,-i liked the pictures/.-would you happen to have pictures of baby black capped chickadees,robins,or -(crows- i like them because they harrass and discourage hawks),.i love wild life in general even if i don,t know all the proper names,but i have this feeling i,m a gonna learn/but i am an old dog,may not learn any new tricks,..rrrrrrr,..sincerely james waller


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thanks for having a look Margaret and James! James, I'm sure there are some crow and robin pictures somewhere here. If you search in the Story and Picture Sharing forum for New Pics you should find a bunch of various bird and animal pictures that I have posted over the years.

Terry


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## Dezirrae (Oct 6, 2007)

Terry,

I have to admit to not knowing any of them from the photos! But I have really enjoyed seeing them! A few are exceptionally well composed photos too... I love looking at baby bird photos anytime. That last one - the naked little tyke - is just "awwwwww" inspiring (I wanna grab a feather duster too ).

Thanks for sharing - AND for the education (as always).


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

are the answers all yes,? that is my guesses. except not sure about #3 looks like a dove OR pigeon??.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

#3 is a dove, and the rest are....baby birds? 
I'm not too great at identifying baby birds. Especially all the sparrows and other "little brown birds".


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*Answers 1-4*

#1 - Is there a House Finch in this photo?

No, it is a fledgling swallow and two sparrows ..










#2 - Is this a Sparrow?

Yes ..










#3 - Is this a baby pigeon?

No, it is a baby mourning dove ..










#4 - Are these sparrows?

Yes ..


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*Answers 5-8*

#5 - Are all of these house finches?

No, four of them are house finches and the two smaller with kind of olive coloration are fledgling orange crowned warblers (I think)










#6 - Are these Mockingbirds?

No, they are baby european starlings ..










#7 - Is there a house finch in this photo

Yes, one fledgling house finch and the rest are baby sparrows ..










#8 - Is this a sparrow nest:

No, it is a house finch nest ..


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*Answers 9-10*

#9 - Is this a house finch:

Yes it is ..










#10 - Is this is a baby sparrow:

Yes, it is ..


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Well, I haven't looked at anyone else's answers so here goes:

1. Yes
2. No
3. Pigeon
4. No
5. Yes
6. No
7. Yes (lots of UFB's (unidentified flying birds) in that picture)
8. Don't have a clue
9. Yes
10. No - looks like a starling ?


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*House Finches Are Fuzzy .. Sparrows Are Not*

One of the easiest ways to tell the difference between baby house finches and baby sparrows is to remember that house finches are fuzzy and baby sparrows are completey naked little birds. Even newly hatched house finches have those little hair like fuzzies. 

Fledgling house finches will still have fuzz and will also have dark brown speckles on the chest while sparrows will have smooth feathers and a solid grayish/tanish colored chest.

Many, many other baby birds are fuzzy, so just because it has fuzz doesn't mean it's a house finch!

Baby bird season will soon be upon us here in Southern California!

Terry


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

LOL, well, aren't I .?

Terry, great way to prove a point. I used to get these little naked ones in and had no earthly idea what I had. The ones that really threw me were the ones about the size of a thimble like the nuthatches and titmice and you had no way of knowing what they were.

You caught me once before with the dove and I missed it again!!!!!


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Lady Tarheel said:


> LOL, well, aren't I .?
> 
> Terry, great way to prove a point. I used to get these little naked ones in and had no earthly idea what I had. The ones that really threw me were the ones about the size of a thimble like the nuthatches and titmice and you had no way of knowing what they were.
> 
> You caught me once before with the dove and I missed it again!!!!!


You gave it a good try, Maggie! Thanks for being brave enough to jump right in and post!

Terry


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*Identifying Baby Starlings*

Baby starlings are somewhat fuzzy too and do not have the very distinct dark gray markings on the head, spine, and wings that baby sparrows do. Baby starlings also have ENORMOUS mouths .. there's some good pictures here Baby European Starlings

Terry


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

This is a question about bird calls. Lewis had been telling me about a bird that he hears in the morning when he is working in the aviaries. He kept telling me it sounds like it is saying "thank you, thank you". I finally got to hear it the other day and that is exactly what it sounds like.

Anyone have any idea what kind of bird it is? We have never heard it before and Lewis is pretty good at identifying their different calls. We only hear it in the morning.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Lady Tarheel said:


> The ones that really threw me were the ones about the size of a thimble like the nuthatches and titmice and you had no way of knowing what they were.


Yeah, those little bitty unknown ones scare me half to death, and I set land speed records in getting them to the songbird rehabber.

Terry


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Lady Tarheel said:


> This is a question about bird calls. Lewis had been telling me about a bird that he hears in the morning when he is working in the aviaries. He kept telling me it sounds like it is saying "thank you, thank you". I finally got to hear it the other day and that is exactly what it sounds like.
> 
> Anyone have any idea what kind of bird it is? We have never heard it before and Lewis is pretty good at identifying their different calls. We only hear it in the morning.


I don't have a clue. I don't think I've ever heard a bird make that kind of sound. Hopefully someone here will know.

Terry


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*Size Idea Of Nestling Sparrow*

This pic is in an old thread here, and it gives an idea of the size of a nestling sparrow .. this sparrow is actually several days old .. at 1 day old they are about the size of the tip of your pinky finger from the tip to the first joint .. very, very small. They are tough little guys and take to being fed and cared for as easily as pigeons and doves .. part of why they have thrived .. they are little survivors!










Terry


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## bluebirdsnfur (Jan 20, 2009)

Nope, ya got me there. The only one I got right was the dove baby and that's because they nest in a stick house I have in my yard. Strangest looking little babies


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