Confirm Bird ID Florida (2 Viewers)

[adubin]

Please confirm that this bird is a male Brown-headed Cowbird.

Thanks,
ADubin

 

[Larry Lade]

I believe that your bird is a female Boat-tailed Grackle.

Take a look at this.

 

[The Falcon]

It is a Boat-tailed Grackle. A Brown-headed Cowbird would not have that bill shape, among other things.

 

[lockbreeze926]

'Tis indeed a Boat-Tail.

The male BH Cowbird would have a brown head, as the name implies, but is otherwise iridescent black/green.

 

[adubin]

Thank you Larry Lade, The Falcon, and Lockbreeze926 for your responses, ADubin

 

[lowcountrybird]

'Tis indeed a Boat-Tail.

The male BH Cowbird would have a brown head, as the name implies, but is otherwise iridescent black/green.

According to my Sibley's guide, a female boat-tailed grackle has a yellow eye with black iris. The bird pictured has a black eye. Are you sure about that boat-tailed grackle id? I do see where in the gulf coast of florida, they have a black eye. So if this is gulf coast florida, then boat-tailed makes sense.

 

[adubin]

According to my Sibley's guide, a female boat-tailed grackle has a yellow eye with black iris. The bird pictured has a black eye. Are you sure about that boat-tailed grackle id? I do see where in the gulf coast of florida, they have a black eye. So if this is gulf coast florida, then boat-tailed makes sense.

Lowcountrybird,

This bird was spotted in the central part of the east coast of Florida. ADubin

 

[Larry Lade]

Check your "Sibley's" again, lowcountrybird for the drawing of an adult female Boat-tailed Grackle which are seen on the gulf coast/Florida.

 

[rjackb]

Check your "Sibley's" again, lowcountrybird for the drawing of an adult female Boat-tailed Grackle which are seen on the gulf coast/Floriada.

But he/she said that this bird was seen on the east coast of Florida, not the gulf coast (which is the west coast). Do gulf coast birds travel across the state?

 

[Larry Lade]

Florida's Boat-tailed Grackles have dark eyes. Others north of Florida have yellowish eyes.

 

[lockbreeze926]

The Sibley guide refers to Gulf Coast/Florida, rather than the gulf coast of Florida. He means the coastal areas of Tx, La, etc and also Florida.

 

[rjackb]

The Sibley guide refers to Gulf Coast/Florida, rather than the gulf coast of Florida. He means the coastal areas of Tx, La, etc and also Florida.

Ah, didn't notice the slash, as opposed to a comma, which gives both his/her and Sibley's reference a completely different meaning. I should also have looked at my own photos of boat-tails from central Florida, which I just did, and they have dark eyes. Incidentally, Sibley describes their eyes as brown rather than black although they look awfully dark to me.