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

[Farnboro John]

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

Not really, they are forest birds.

John

 

[MJB]

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

There were (are?) feral peacocks in Thetford Forest in UK (mostly plantation forest) in the 1990s, and if you chanced upon them on a track, even in cleared areas, they would trot off into the forest...
MJB

 

[JoeGBirder]

There were (are?) feral peacocks in Thetford Forest in UK (mostly plantation forest) in the 1990s, and if you chanced upon them on a track, even in cleared areas, they would trot off into the forest...
MJB

i always assumed they would prefer feilds and highlands... i ASSUMED.

 

[MJB]

i always assumed they would prefer feilds and highlands... i ASSUMED.

Their natural habitat is the forests and shrubland of the Indian subcontinent, a rapidly-disappearing habitat, although they occur up to 2000 metres in the Himalayan foothill valleys, and so your assumption is partly correct!

You might like this source for other species (The link is for Indian Peafowl aka Peacock): The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
MJB

 

[Farnboro John]

There were (are?) feral peacocks in Thetford Forest in UK (mostly plantation forest) in the 1990s, and if you chanced upon them on a track, even in cleared areas, they would trot off into the forest...
MJB

Still around RAF Lakenheath into the 2010s, I remember seeing and photographing them when twitching F-22s.

John

 

[nartreb]

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

People in Maine can be... eccentric. If you knew how many people in Maine keep mountain lions as pets, you would not be at all skeptical about a couple of easily-purchased tropical birds.

 

[MJB]

In a Norfolk neighbour's garden a few years back, I saw a male Mulga Parrot Psephotus varius** wandering about the grass when it took an interest in a nearby crouching cat and ambled over to it. The cat pounced, the parrot uttered a loud squawk, and the cat dashed away in terror, probably swearing off pouncing on doves for the rest of its nine lives...! Only slightly ruffled, the parrot resumed its meandering, eventually flying off into a tree...
MJB
**Scientific name as per Australian Bird Guide, Revised Edition. BirdLife/IUCN use Psephotellus varius: for those who understandably find many scientific names challenging to pronounce, the 'P' is silent, as in swimming...

 

[Jos Stratford]

...the 'P' is silent, as in swimming...

Where's the silent P in swimming?

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

The “p” is silent in swimming pool, but not from the diving board! 🤭

 

[Conwy Birder]

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?

Zebra Finch in my Conwy garden a few years ago.

By the way, the font that you are using for your posts is horrible, it makes them really difficult to read! Maybe it would be better if you used the standard font that literally everybody else is using?

 

[JoeGBirder]

Zebra Finch in my Conwy garden a few years ago.

By the way, the font that you are using for your posts is horrible, it makes them really difficult to read! Maybe it would be better if you used the standard font that literally everybody else is using?

i find standard font boring to type out its wierd i know

 

[JoeGBirder]

i find standard font boring to type out its wierd i know

is this better?

 

[raymie]

People in Maine can be... eccentric. If you knew how many people in Maine keep mountain lions as pets, you would not be at all skeptical about a couple of easily-purchased tropical birds.

I don't doubt people in Maine are keeping all sorts of odd tropical birds - but Mangrove Cuckoos and umbrellabirds are not among them. Those species are not "easily-purchasable" and in fact are not purchasable at all. Mangrove Cuckoo is protected by MBTA so it cannot be kept at all. Umbrellabirds are not kept in captivity outside of their native range with the exception of two zoos (one in Texas and one in Germany).

 

[WACCOE]

A Budgie in my garden many years ago.

 

[MJB]

A Budgie in my garden many years ago.

Here are one or two more to keep you company:

Budgerigars: Australia’s colourful, clever and much-loved avian gift to the world

A comprehensive history of Australia's most well-known bird.

www.australiangeographic.com.au

MJB

 

[Andy Adcock]

Indian Hill Mynah on my Nottingham roof once.

 

[KenM]

Alexandrine Parakeet on my peanut feeder (arrived with a Ring-necked) just the one brief visit from the former!

 

[Andy Lakin]

The other half had a peacock sat on our garage roof. She rang me up and asked if it was safe to put the washing out!

 

[Andy Adcock]

The other half had a peacock sat on our garage roof. She rang me up and asked if it was safe to put the washing out!

Not read in any guides that they have a panty fetish

 

[Helsinki Birder]

Would have to be European Bee-eater for me. A really jammy find too.

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Owen