Northern California: Towhee or Cowbird (1 Viewer)

[vbnut]

I saw this bird in the afternoon in mid September in Santa Cruz, CA. My guess is that it is a California Towhee or a Brown-headed Cowbird. Does one of those sound right, or am I completely off base?

Thanks for your help

 

[Bird_Bill]

Juv.cowbird.

Cal.towee(juv) would show faint streaking on upper breast,even shorter,stouter finch beak.Also fainter eye,black pupil surrounded by yellowish-reddish color.

 

[guy_incognito]

Would anyone else agree that this is a female Brewer's Blackbird?

 

[Kratter]

Looks more like a female Brewer's Blackbird to me. I think the angle of the photo makes the bill appear short like a cowbird, but the plumage is too rich brown and contrasting for a cowbird.

Andy

 

[grebefeet9]

i was confused by the bill as well, which seemed intermediate between the two species, but now i see it's because of the angle. it's a brewer's.

 

[Bird_Bill]

Here's a link to a great shot on a brewer's female.
Can pull that image way up,bi-colored eye shows,albeit dark but not monotone as OP's shot shows.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Brewer's_Blackbird_-_female.jpg

 

[Tiraya]

I agree the original post is a female Brewer's. I have only noticed a bicoloured eye in female Brewer's once, and it was probably an immature male. Typically it is very dark.

I found some images here: See the third image:

http://fireflyforest.net/firefly/2007/01/11/brewers-blackbirds/

EDIT:It says above that the eye colour is variable amongst females.

 

[vbnut]

Thanks everyone.

As seems all to common, I was completely on the wrong track. I'm so used to the male Brewer's Blackbirds that I forgot that the female looks completely different.