Need help identifying a bird (1 Viewer)

[lance21]

My husband and I spotted a bird in Glenwood, IA this morning that we've struggled to identify. It was roughly the size of a robin. The top of its head was black but the sides were grey. Its wings were shades of brown, and its chest was mostly white but with black spots towards the wings. Never seen anything like it and can't locate anything similar in any of our field guides. Any suggestions?

 

[Kits]

Welcome to Birdforum.

Hopefully someone will be able to help you.

 

[Bewick]

The only bird I can think of with the description given is the Harris's sparrow, its a largish sparrow though its quite a bit smaller than a robin.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

What was the bird doing? Behaviour can be a big clue to narrow down options. For example was it swimming in a lake, hopping on the ground, skulking in the grass, perching prominently high in a tree, tame and approachable, or shy and quick to fly far away? And if it flew how did it fly? Shape of the bird helps too. For example did it have a long curved beak or a short thick beak, a long tail, long legs, long neck etc etc. It's easier for someone to picture roughly what your bird looked like with this kind of information.

 

[Andy Adcock]

My husband and I spotted a bird in Glenwood, IA this morning that we've struggled to identify. It was roughly the size of a robin. The top of its head was black but the sides were grey. Its wings were shades of brown, and its chest was mostly white but with black spots towards the wings. Never seen anything like it and can't locate anything similar in any of our field guides. Any suggestions?

Where is IA, Americans, arrogantly, all presume we know their abbreviations.

 

[Bewick]

Where is IA, Americans, arrogantly, all presume we know their abbreviations.

Iowa

 

[delia todd]

Iowa

Oh well done... I had been wondering about Indianna!!!

 

[SueO]

Hello. Could it possibly be a Spotted Sandpiper? What did the bill look like?

 

[moose1991]

Where is IA, Americans, arrogantly, all presume we know their abbreviations.

It's not that hard to look it up.
TWO-LETTER STATE AND TERRITORY ABBREVIATIONS

https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/cnt_html/appendix_a.html

 

[SueO]

Where is IA, Americans, arrogantly, all presume we know their abbreviations.

This is her first post. Perhaps she just found a site that helped ID birds and didn't fully realize that the whole world is represented on this forum. Maybe she was simply focused on her ID and didn't intend to be "arrogant". Edit: I edited a bit to be a bit more concise.

 

[Andy Adcock]

This is her first post. Perhaps she just found a site that helped ID birds and didn't fully realize that the whole world is here. Maybe she was simply focused on her ID and didn't intend to be "arrogant".

The World is not just America.

 

[SueO]

It's not that hard to look it up.
TWO-LETTER STATE AND TERRITORY ABBREVIATIONS

https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/cnt_html/appendix_a.html

Well, it really shouldn't be up to the people trying to help with ID to have to look up area abbreviations too, I get that, but I think with a first time visitor, maybe just ask nicely to be more specific?

 

[Andy Adcock]

It's not that hard to look it up.
TWO-LETTER STATE AND TERRITORY ABBREVIATIONS

https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/cnt_html/appendix_a.html

WHY should people have to do that, other people post full information, it's not hard.

 

[SueO]

The World is not just America.

Of course not. I didn't mean to imply that. I understand your frustration, I just meant that when someone who hasn't used an ID site finds one, they may not be thinking of the big picture, they're focusing on their bird and question.

 

[SueO]

My husband and I spotted a bird in Glenwood, IA this morning that we've struggled to identify. It was roughly the size of a robin. The top of its head was black but the sides were grey. Its wings were shades of brown, and its chest was mostly white but with black spots towards the wings. Never seen anything like it and can't locate anything similar in any of our field guides. Any suggestions?

Hi again,
Does this look like your bird?

spotted sandpiper actitis macularius huntingtonbeachstateparksc

www.birdforum.net

 

[rkj]

Other than the black cap, which might be a matter of lighting, this sounds somewhat like a Northern Flicker.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Other than the black cap, which might be a matter of lighting, this sounds somewhat like a Northern Flicker.

Northern Flicker was the first thing I thought of (in spite of the lack of a black cap), mostly because it's roughly the size of an American Robin, and it regularly puzzles people who aren't accustomed to describing birds

 

[Andy Adcock]

Northern Flicker was the first thing I thought of (in spite of the lack of a black cap), mostly because it's roughly the size of an American Robin, and it regularly puzzles people who aren't accustomed to describing birds

Nobody has indicated the size of the bird?

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Nobody has indicated the size of the bird?

"roughly the size of a
robin"

 

[Andy Adcock]

"roughly the size of a
robin"

Blind f*****, didn't see that, so Thrush sized.