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Is this just a big sparrow, or a different bird? (vanity)
my backyard in central california | march 30, 2010 | Perky (that's me)

Posted on 03/30/2010 2:00:16 PM PDT by PERKY2004

One of our backyard bird feeders (central California) has been very popular today with what looks to me like a giant sparrow, but I was wondering if anyone could tell me for certain? He's about 4-5 times the size of the goldfinches and housefinches that usually hang out on the feeder; in fact, he's about the size of the mourning doves we also get. Anyway, I snapped a few photos before he fluttered off.

Thanks for your assistance in identifying this bird. CHIRP!


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Hobbies; Outdoors; Pets/Animals
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To: djwright

Thank you!!!!


61 posted on 03/30/2010 5:06:52 PM PDT by PERKY2004 (Proud military wife of a pilot ~ Praying for him and for all our troops!)
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To: SkyDancer

thanks for the info.


62 posted on 03/31/2010 12:47:40 PM PDT by the long march
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To: the long march

Welcome - again, different states call the bird by different names but the one that comes up more often is the “Gray Jay”.
Here’s good info on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_Jay


63 posted on 03/31/2010 12:51:33 PM PDT by SkyDancer (If someone calls me a racist I'll just tell them you're just saying that because I'm white ....)
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To: SkyDancer

In terms of size I think this bird is slightly larger than the pne in photot. Also considering that it is the central valley of California where this bird was seen ( hence the altitude is not above 100 ft, the most likely answer would still be the mocking bird. The yards and skies are full of them this time of year, particularly in the central valley of california


64 posted on 03/31/2010 12:56:18 PM PDT by the long march
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To: the long march

The mocking birds I’ve seen in CA were black with white wingtips ....or white with black wingtips. They’d sit on phone poles and sometimes just jump straight up in the air and then down again for apparently no reason ....


65 posted on 03/31/2010 12:59:29 PM PDT by SkyDancer (If someone calls me a racist I'll just tell them you're just saying that because I'm white ....)
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To: SkyDancer

I think they were magpies not mocking birds that I was thinking about ....


66 posted on 03/31/2010 1:24:25 PM PDT by SkyDancer (If someone calls me a racist I'll just tell them you're just saying that because I'm white ....)
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To: PERKY2004; SWAMPSNIPER

I think swampsniper is our resident bird expert


67 posted on 03/31/2010 1:32:17 PM PDT by Rightly Biased (Do you know how awkward it is to have a political argument with a naked man?)
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To: SkyDancer

Nah those are magpies. Mocking birds are bluish grey and have some piping that is occassionally black. the link I included has a couple of great shots. Others have posted nice shots as well


68 posted on 03/31/2010 1:34:13 PM PDT by the long march
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