uk id - rock sparrow or ? (1 Viewer)

[capdegat]

just got this from garden . i think rock sparrow but normally get these things wrong!
cheers
les

 

[redeyedvideo]

Had you considered House Sparrow which would be considerably more likely?

 

[robinm]

House Sparrow

 

[AlexC]

Try female House Sparrow.

 

[VC65_Birder]

Have you looked at the range maps/status information in your field guide?

 

[capdegat]

yes but from my books it didn't look like female

 

[David FG]

A Rock Sparrow would be very rare in the UK.

To put it mildly.

 

[VC65_Birder]

yes but from my books it didn't look like female

Rock Sparrows don't occur in the UK, which your book should have showed. There has only ever been one reported, seen by a mere handful of people one morning.

Which books are you using, which doesn't show a female House Sparrow looking like this? We might be able to point you in the direction of a better one.

 

[Hotspur]

Rock Sparrows don't occur in the UK, which your book should have showed. There has only ever been one reported, seen by a mere handful of people one morning.

Which books are you using, which doesn't show a female House Sparrow looking like this? We might be able to point you in the direction of a better one.

Come on play nice - you're being terribly harsh on an inexperienced birder. Bad day?

 

[David FG]

Come on play nice - you're being terribly harsh on an inexperienced birder. Bad day?

I don't think so - it struck me as being an offer of help. It would seem that if someone is relying on a book which doesn't show female House Sparrow, or which doesn't show that Rock Sparrows don't occur (except as extremely rare vagrants) in the British Isles then they could do with some assistance.

That is no criticism of the OP - we all need help from time to time.

 

[VC65_Birder]

I don't think so - it struck me as being an offer of help. It would seem that if someone is relying on a book which doesn't show female House Sparrow, or which doesn't show that Rock Sparrows don't occur (except as extremely rare vagrants) in the British Isles then they could do with some assistance.

That is no criticism of the OP - we all need help from time to time.

Exactly!!

Thanks David

 

[yew]

Sorry but I think also the answer came across as harsh when the poster even stated clearly that he usually gets things wrong ..... I think sometimes there should be a green newcomers bird identifying section and then if anything interesting turns up a moderator could transfer the post across to the usual bird identification place ........I read posts as a means of learning as many others would too and some answers occasionally do surprise you in more ways than birding........ I had this daft idea in my head that birdiers all had to be nice caring people as most birds are small and fragile but not so sure now ....... I would love to go back and hit the delete button on my daft posts and awful photos but I cannot anymore than the person can who gets grumpy now and then with same old questions and same old photos ........ One of my very first posts was where I said I had Rock Sparrows in Ireland nevermind England so I guess I must have had that same book |=)|

 

[AlexC]

yes but from my books it didn't look like female

Well, you clearly have internet access. Google Images is your friend. :t:

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=female+house+sparrow

 

[SueO]

The internet also has etiquette sites. I think if a few people on here checked some out the rudeness level might go down a bit.

 

[AlexC]

The internet also has etiquette sites. I think if a few people on here checked some out the rudeness level might go down a bit.

Link?




Just kidding. 8-P I think it's fair to say that a lot can be lost in translation in terms of tone because this is a text-based forum. I really don't think anyone on this thread was trying to be rude or malicious. If my post was read that way I apologize.

 

[china guy]

By the way guys - amid all the banter - I'm sure some folk would be interested in seeing what a Rock Sparrow looks like. Here's one of our pics from up on the Tibetan Plateau - Ruoergai Grasslands - of a bird with a beak full of maggots that it's taking back to a brood of young. Although in bird book plates they look superficially similar to sparrows - these birds have whole different jizz when you see them in the field. They are in fact placed in a separate genus to House Sparrows - and are also known by the common name of - Rock Petronia

 

[yew]

By the way guys - amid all the banter - I'm sure some folk would be interested in seeing what a Rock Sparrow looks like. Here's one of our pics from up on the Tibetan Plateau - Ruoergai Grasslands - of a bird with a beak full of maggots that it's taking back to a brood of young. Although in bird book plates they look superficially similar to sparrows - these birds have whole different jizz when you see them in the field. They are in fact placed in a separate genus to House Sparrows - and are also known by the common name of - Rock Petronia

Indeed you have gallantly stepped in and I for one will be putting the name Rock Petronia beside Rock Sparrow in my books and I am delighted to see your picture. This is one nice lesson that most of us will recall as of that wonderful picture......thanks.

 

[Lappkrabben]

Rock sparrow photos;

http://search.pbase.com/search?q=rock+sparrow&b=Search+Photos&c=sp

 

[AlexC]

By the way guys - amid all the banter - I'm sure some folk would be interested in seeing what a Rock Sparrow looks like. Here's one of our pics from up on the Tibetan Plateau - Ruoergai Grasslands - of a bird with a beak full of maggots that it's taking back to a brood of young. Although in bird book plates they look superficially similar to sparrows - these birds have whole different jizz when you see them in the field. They are in fact placed in a separate genus to House Sparrows - and are also known by the common name of - Rock Petronia

Wow, what a pic! They certainly are cool birds. I got great looks at a small flock of them a few years back in Cappadocia, Turkey. Seeing that yellow throat-patch was such a treat.