Whats the strangest non-native bird species that has visited your backyard? (1 Viewer)

[JoeGBirder]

Once and a while, a bird will visit your backyard that you would never expect to find there. Often times these are migrants from other parts of the continent or even other parts of the world. What's the strangest bird visitor you've seen on your property?
I can't say I've spotted anything too interesting in my yard, but my grandmother from my mother's side, who actually got me into birding and has seen some amazing birds in her life, told me she once saw an Umbrellabird in her backyard. She lives in Southern Maine, USA. Pretty interesting.

Now share yours!

-joe

 

[aeshna5]

In my current garden we had a pair of Senegal Parrots for a while & slightly more recently we had a Plum-headed Parakeet joining the local Ring-necked Parakeets.

At a previous garden we had a Yellow-fronted Canary.

 

[angusmcoatup]

There have been a couple of Turacos loose around London for a few years now.

 

[Farnboro John]

At home probably Cockatiel, but outside various offices I've seen Zebra Finch, Eclectus Parrot and Steppe Eagle (the last was in London, arousing a storm of protest from crows and gulls as it rocketed along a concrete canyon.)

John

 

[Jon Turner]

At my previous house a Peahen flew across into a neighbour's Rose arbour. In my present garden a Canary spent a few minutes one spring day, and one winter we had a very smart cock Bantam strutting around for a few days.

 

[Essex Tern]

At home in Essex UK, definitely Diamond Dove for me.

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Flyover African Grey Parrot here in Birkenhead.

 

[Mysticete]

My home is such that I don't really get much in the way of actual birds, but while birding probably the strangest was a Linnet at Tawas Point Michigan some years back

 

[Nightjar61]

A few years ago I had a California Quail picking at seeds under my bird feeder. He hung around for a few days and then disappeared. I’m about 2000 miles from the quail’s normal range.

Dave

 

[JWN Andrewes]

I was asked to ID a funny looking bird my brother in law photographed in his garden in Staffs, turned out to be a female California Quail.

 

[raymie]

Once and a while, a bird will visit your backyard that you would never expect to find there. Often times these are migrants from other parts of the continent or even other parts of the world. What's the strangest bird visitor you've seen on your property?
I can't say I've spotted anything too interesting in my yard, but my grandmother from my mother's side, who actually got me into birding and has seen some amazing birds in her life, told me she once saw an Umbrellabird in her backyard. She lives in Southern Maine, USA. Pretty interesting.

Now share yours!

-joe

There is no possible way for a umbrellabird to show up in Maine, they must have been mistaken.

I’ve never had anything strange show up in my yard, but I did once find a Cockatiel in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. I contacted a local parrot sanctuary about that bird and was told by a lady who worked there that a pair of escaped Budgies had nested in her yard several years ago!

 

[birdmeister]

I guess mine's Northern Bobwhite. One came through the yard on a seemingly random summer day, calling up a storm. They haven't bred in my area of the state in well over 30 yrs, and this unfortunate one looked a prime target for the local cats.

 

[JoeGBirder]

I guess mine's Northern Bobwhite. One came through the yard on a seemingly random summer day, calling up a storm. They haven't bred in my area of the state in well over 30 yrs, and this unfortunate one looked a prime target for the local cats.

i trust my grandma, so i doubt she would lie, but she may have been mistaken. she also once saw a mangrove cuckoo, which is although surprising, more "likely".

-joe

 

[JoeGBirder]

I guess mine's Northern Bobwhite. One came through the yard on a seemingly random summer day, calling up a storm. They haven't bred in my area of the state in well over 30 yrs, and this unfortunate one looked a prime target for the local cats.

interesting!

 

[raymie]

i trust my grandma, so i doubt she would lie, but she may have been mistaken. she also once saw a mangrove cuckoo, which is although surprising, more "likely".

-joe

Mangrove Cuckoo is equally unlikely. She must have been mistaken.

 

[JoeGBirder]

Mangrove Cuckoo is equally unlikely. She must have been mistaken.

i should correct myself- she HEARD a mangrove cuckoo. she also saw what looked like some sort of cuckoo flying off.

-joe

 

[connorco]

Had a peacock in my backyard last year. I live in the middle of the forest, a mile or so from town up a pretty big hill. Wonder how it got there.

 

[JoeGBirder]

Had a peacock in my backyard last year. I live in the middle of the forest, a mile or so from town up a pretty big hill. Wonder how it got there.

most likely was a garden or lawn decoration that escaped. or a wild peacock. that'd be cooler.

 

[connorco]

most likely was a garden or lawn decoration that escaped. or a wild peacock. that'd be cooler.

Definitely someones pet that escaped, but interesting it decided to run way up a hill into a forest.

 

[JoeGBirder]

Definitely someones pet that escaped, but interesting it decided to run way up a hill into a forest.

yes, that's an odd decision for the species.