Quote:
Originally Posted by chiefMOJOrisin
There are several birds that most would call a 'blackbird'.....when in reality, the species most likely doesn't even have the word 'black' in it's name. There are grackles, crows, anis, ravens......
The first questions I must ask.......where (geographical) did you see the bird?? Did it have yellow or red eyes?? I've only just really gotten into birding....but one thing I have heard over and over (and is very true) is that the more you scrutinize a bird you see, the easier it will be to identify it later on.....and it will build your skills in noticing field marks on the bird.
My first guess would be a European Starling. They are an introduced species but are very prevelent everywhere. The male is about the size of a small robin, black, with colored specks and somewhat iridescent. The female and juvinile is smaller, but all brown with some dark markings on the back and wings.
(male-left/female-right)
It could be a common grackle if it was iridenscent/holagraphic-looking. Awesome birds....its possible to determine 5+ colors on one bird that from from away, looks totally black.
(I took this photo so you may need to zoom in to get a good look....or just google it)
If it was all black, and had a brown/bronze head.....and the female was grayish with some hard-to-see lines on the closed wings, with a very faint brown head.......then it was a Brown-headed Cowbird.
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No it was none of these, the male was much larger than it's supposid mate. It is much more slender, and I believe correct, I think the beak and feet were black as well. Could it just be a juvenile crow? And the brownish bird is just following? The eyes were yellow, and location is desert foothills of california.
I have a customer saying he can find me a raven chick, is it illegal to own one? I saw this lady who owned one and it followed her to work and chilled in the trees all day, and followed her back home. It was on TV, but this lady is beastmaster.
I always wanted to raise a wolf pup, raven chick, tiger cub and ferret/wolverine all at the same time and raise them together like beastmaster to protect my house (future house that is) in the woods.