tags: House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus, photographed in Arizona. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Richard Ditch, 7 August 2006 [larger view].
Date Time Original: 2006:07:08 08:30:57
Exposure Time: 1/249
F-Number: 8.00
ISO: 200
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.

GrrlScientist is an evolutionary biologist, ornithologist, aviculturist, birder and freelance science and nature writer. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she relocated from Seattle to NYC with her parrots after earning a BS in Microbiology (emphasis in Virology) and PhD in Zoology (Ornithology) from the University of Washington. In NYC, she was the Chapman Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Museum of Natural History for two years, pursuing part of her "dream" research project by reconstructing a molecular phylogeny of the parrots of the South Pacific islands. GrrlScientist and her five parrots are currently relocating to Germany, where she will continue writing her blog while also writing a book and learning German. (Meanwhile, her parrots will continue to nibble on her extensive personal library.) If you appreciate GrrlScientist's writing, you can help pay her living expenses by hiring her to "blog" your conference, speak at your club or write articles for your publication (or by clicking on the Paypal button below). If you read an essay on this blog that you especially enjoyed, please nominate it for inclusion in 

























Comments
This appears to be a young male Indigo Bunting. The angle on the tomia (cutting edges of the bill) is typical of the Cardinalines. The hints of blue coming in and the fine streaking suggest Indigo Bunting.
Posted by: psweet | July 9, 2009 10:24 AM
Juvenile Carpodacus mexicanus; the streaked belly gave it away, that and shape of the beak just screams "Finch!"
Posted by: Jared | July 9, 2009 11:25 AM
Isn't the list of "mystery birds to date" getting a bit out of date? ;-)
Posted by: Russell | July 9, 2009 11:30 AM
Got that one...
Posted by: Jared | July 11, 2009 12:27 PM