What bird was this?

doctor evil

I was two of them at my bird feeder (thankfully squirrels have not been able to climb up)

It had red on its head with black and white colouration further down its neck with a yellowish belly (as far as I can remember)

Unfortunately I didn't get a picture.

Cheers.

Kess73

Was it a small bird, smaller than a house sparrow? If so it may have been a redpoll. I get loads of them this time of year when they arrive for the winter.

Most of mine are Lesser Redpoll and Artic Redpoll.

Below are an image I got online and a picture I got online.

Alun

Loads of Redpolls in my garden at the moment too.

E39MSport

Could have been a gold finch. Quite a few visit my feeders.

http://www.birdfood.co.uk/images/fact_files/goldfinch_01.jpg

Hasn't got the yellowish breast but there's certainly yellow present.

Would love to see a redpoll though....

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

My immediate response is a Redpoll, but I'd like the OP to come back and confirn based on the excellent pictures provided by Kess73.

doctor evil

It was a Gold Finch!

Thanks for the brilliant photos/colour pictures everyone. I tried briefly to look it up online but only got useless charts in black and white.

gzoladz

Is the bird that is located to the right of the feeder a Goldfinch too?

This one was taken today in my garden. I thought it was a Greenfinch when I took it but it looks more like a Goldfinch to me?

jmkennedyie

gzoladz wrote: »

Is the bird that is located to the right of the feeder a Goldfinch too?

This one was taken today in my garden. I thought it was a Greenfinch when I took it but it looks more like a Goldfinch to me?

Bird on the right is not a typical adult Goldfinch which would have the white cheeks. Checked a few books and while they don't have exact match the mottled belly would suggest juvenile Goldfinch in transition to adult.

Bird on the left looks like a female Greenfinch.

Thanks for posting!

gzoladz

Thank you jmkennedyie, that makes sense.

Yes, the one on the left is a female Greenfinch. I am getting loads of them currently.

Whippersnapper

It was years before I saw a Goldfinch, love them. They are normally in small groups. Haven't seen them in a long time.

gzoladz

I must be lucky. I have had the feeder since April but only this week started trying to identify the birds.

By the way, if there is any starter around, I can reccomend the book "Ireland's Garden Birds", from Oran O'Sullivan and Jim Wilson. Very very very well done. It focuses on the top 50 most common garden birds, with guides telling you what you need to watch to identify them, a 2 pages file per bird with information, pictures, propposed lay out for the garden, etc.

macaw4

jmkennedyie wrote: »

Bird on the right is not a typical adult Goldfinch which would have the white cheeks. Checked a few books and while they don't have exact match the mottled belly would suggest juvenile Goldfinch in transition to adult.

Bird on the left looks like a female Greenfinch.

Thanks for posting!

The bird on the right is a hybrid of the native goldfinch and a small canary breed better known as a mule,these are bred in captivity for their singing ablity.It has probably escaped from aviary.

jmkennedyie

Yeah, I wasn't certain about it being juvenile...should have reached adult plumage by now according to Collins Bird Guide.

Are these hybrids typically fertile? TBH I'm hoping they're not.

macaw4

jmkennedyie wrote: »

Yeah, I wasn't certain about it being juvenile...should have reached adult plumage by now according to Collins Bird Guide.

Are these hybrids typically fertile? TBH I'm hoping they're not.

The offspring of canaries crossed with goldfinches have never been recorded as fertile they will pair up and incubate eggs though and are sometimes used as foster parents in captivity

doctor evil

Four Goldfinches at the birdfeeder this morning!

They took their time stuffing themselves, the Blue Tits were pissed. They were frightened off along with the pigeon and two thrushes (the three were on the ground) by a next door neighbour. Afterwards a Robin landed on the feeder and went for the peanuts.

I reckon it was the Nygar seeds that brought them in.

Still have yet to see some Black Caps

gzoladz

Blackcaps...I have got tired to see them. Loads of them during the last couple of weeks.

I have yet to see a real goldfinch though. Full of greenfinches today, but the closes to a goldfinch was the same fellow from the picture I posted on Jan 1st (I know it was the same due to the ring).

doctor evil

Saw a male Chaffinch later on and then a second Robin.

Your lucky to have seen so many Greenfinches, I think they are one of the birds most affected by the Trichomonad parasite.

http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/News/OutbreaksofdiseaseamongstGreenfinches/tabid/460/Default.aspx

Is there a sticky for cleaning bird feeders etc.