Mystery bird with yellow tail (U.S.) (1 Viewer)

[bethel95]

I was on a mid-morning bike ride when I spotted an unfamiliar (and initially not visually striking) bird about 30 yards ahead of me, in the short grass next to the greenway trail. My initial impression was the this bird was about the size of a robin (possibly slightly larger), with a gray head, back, and wings and a sharply-delineated white breast. My very first thought was, "That looks like an over-sized black-eyed junco" (though obviously much larger than any junco would ever get).

After about 2 seconds (so I was now about 15-20 yards away), the bird took flight at an angle about perpendicular to the trail, passing over a fence to the left of the trail and out into an adjacent field/meadow. As soon as it was aloft, my level of interest ratcheted way up, as it had a striking yellow-gold tail (like a meadowlark's breast feathers; these were not rump feathers--from what I could tell, it was the full tail), with the tail feathers fanned out wide. It flew about 50 yards into the field and landed again. As soon as it landed, I could no longer see the yellow tail feathers (though the grass was about 4-6 inches high, so that may have partially masked my view).

I was impressed enough with this unfamiliar (to me) bird that I delved into my Audubon Birds app as soon as I got back home. After an hour and a half of searches and browsing (including out-of-area, in case it was an accidental), I came up with nothing. I followed up with Google image searches for North American, Central American, South American (getting desperate) and European (an escaped import?) birds, again with no result.

I'm really stumped by this one, and would appreciate some help!

Sighting data:
Location: SE of Raleigh, NC
Time of day: Approximately 10:50 AM EST
Environment: Mown field/meadow near a greenway trail and country road, about 1/4 mile from the nearest treeline
Lighting: Mostly sunny, with some light clouds at high altitude; I was observing due south, so the sun was slightly behind me.
Distance: 15-50 yards
Length of sighting: Approximately 5-6 seconds
Bird size: Similar to a robin, perhaps slightly larger
Bird form: More like a ground-feeding bird, I think, than a perching bird; I didn't get a good read on the head shape, but the neck was neither long nor exceptionally short.
Bird coloration: Gray head, back, wings; white breast, sharply delineated from the gray upper; yellow-gold tail (full tail feather length; my impression was that all of the tail feathers were yellow, but it's possible I may have missed a more muted color on the side edges)
Bird beak: I missed this, due to my initial lack of interest, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't long like a sandpiper or thick like a cattle egret
Flight characteristics: Quick launch; full wing strokes at a moderate rate; low, level flight with tail feathers fanned out; short glide to ground landing

 

[Nutcracker]

Green-tailed Towhee a possibility? There are some eastern records, but not many, so probably not. But worth a check.

PS Welcome to Birdforum!

 

[RJP]

Yes, welcome to BirdForum! Thanks for the very complete description including habitat, etc.

The best I could come up with was a drab first year female Baltimore Oriole, which could easily be in N.C. this time of year. Not quite as big as a Robin, but close, and it would fill the bill for a white belly and yellow(ish) tail.

 

[tril42]

A Northern Flicker's tail looks very yellow if seen from below.

 

[bethel95]

Green-tailed Towhee a possibility? There are some eastern records, but not many, so probably not. But worth a check.

Thanks for the suggestion, but it doesn't seem likely--I would have definitely seen the yellow in the wings, and probably the orange patch on the head.

 

[bethel95]

The best I could come up with was a drab first year female Baltimore Oriole, which could easily be in N.C. this time of year. Not quite as big as a Robin, but close, and it would fill the bill for a white belly and yellow(ish) tail.

That was closer, but the yellow tail feathers were solid yellow-gold, with no secondary color that I could see. Thanks!

 

[bethel95]

A Northern Flicker's tail looks very yellow if seen from below.

As my mystery bird was flying very low (no more than 5-6 feet off the ground), my view of the tail was from above. Thanks!

 

[Peter C.]

I can't really see any native North Amercan bird fitting this description (good details, by the way).

The "grey back with white underparts" already, by itself, limits the choices considerably. And birds that even give the impression of a complete yellow tail (given that some feathers may be obscured) are well ... I can't think of a single one that would be in eastern N.A. at the moment.

So, I suspect we're either into "escaped exotic" territory, or you need to find it again and get a photo.

 

[David in NC]

Welcome to the forum from another North Carolinian!

I know your frustration at a mystery bird and I don't have much to offer that hasn't been added.

Some form of Cedar Waxwing?

I know it misses some things you mentioned (full length yellow or gold tail feathers) but I think we all are just hoping to throw something out "off the cuff" in an attempt to help. I know the yellow would be the prominent color the eye picked up on especially if flying away(?)

Anyway-welcome to the forum!

 

[Kratter]

Baltimore Oriole sounds best to me. Some young birds can be quite gray on back and the yellow below can be restricted to the throat and undertail. The tail on young birds can be solidly yellow as viewed from above. See attached photo (the under and upperparts of this bird are comparatively yellow compared to some):
https://www.google.com/search?q=bal...sAQIHA&biw=1280&bih=863#imgrc=fyydQ8KHUTpw0M:

 

[Birdbrain22]

Another suggestion of a first winter Baltimore Oriole.

 

[bethel95]

Killdeer!

I went back to the same spot on Wednesday and got a positive I.D.

So my original observation was a bit off. In my defense :h?:, I've never I.D.'d a killdeer before, so the combination of unfamiliarity, surprise, distance, movement, riding a bike, short observation and (possibly) my yellow-tinted sunglasses caused me to mischaracterize the body color, miss the white neck ring entirely, and not notice the black tips on the tail feathers.

When I went back, the breeding pair (for killdeer are always in pairs, apparently), were at the same spot by the trail, only this time they didn't fly away as I approached, so I got a good close-up look (about 10 feet).

Incredibly, I was helped by an unlikely coincidence--I was at my regular bike shop on Tuesday afternoon for a conversation with my mechanic. Upon returning to my car, I noticed two unfamiliar birds walking in a wetlands area behind the bike shop. Moving closer to get a better look, I was able to clearly see their colors, head, body and beak shape, and the black-white-black neck band. Just as I was about to leave, one of the birds briefly stretched his wings, flashing what looked like rust-colored tail feather (this was a cloudy day).

As soon as I got home, I popped open my Audubon Birds app and identified them as killdeer. When I read the habitat description and saw the photo showing yellow tail feathers with black tips, I began to have a suspicion about my mystery bird. The return to the original sighting location confirmed that suspicion.

So now I've actually I.D.'d two breeding killdeer pairs!

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

killdeer are always in pairs, apparently

Not so. Sometimes they are in large groups, e.g. in flooded fields. I had 8 foraging together yesterday, and have as many as 50 at mudflats on the shore of a reservoir.

 

[Peter C.]

Yellow? Gray? Killdeer? Holy.... no wonder it was so hard.
:brains:

I would second what Jeff says as well, they certainly don't always appear in pairs, or even in groups. In early migration (as in, right about now, in my part of the world) you will often see a single one on a roadside, or hear a lone individual going by overhead. This is in considerable contrast to many of our other shorebird species, which tend to migrate in flocks (Black-bellied Plovers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, etc.) It's only when they get to a summer breeding territory that they pair up.

 

[steveMc]

Also, mention was made that the bird flew as you approached, ... did it call? In my experience, about 99 times out of a 100, Killdeer will make their piercing call when they fly away, especially if you are relatively close by. I didn't see the call mentioned so thought I would ask.

It's another good ID characteristic, especially for Killdeer.

 

[howiewu]

So it could be anything and still remains so. The original description does not fit Killdeer at all.

 

[Peter C.]

So it could be anything and still remains so. The original description does not fit Killdeer at all.

Not quite true; the size, habitat, and sharp contrast between upperparts and underparts fit Killdeer fine. Also, the description of the flight pattern - the part about taking "a short glide to ground landing" - is something a Killdeer would do.