Mystery Bird: Dickcissel, Spiza americana

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[Mystery bird] Dickcissel, occasionally (at least historically) known as Townsend's Bunting or Townsend's Sparrow, Spiza americana, photographed at Bolivar Peninsula, Galveston County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]

Image: Joseph Kennedy, 26 April 2010 [larger view].

Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/750s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.

Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.

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I was hoping someone else would take a stab at it first and give me a clue. Looks like a sparrow to me and with the yellow on the face and maybe a slight crest I will guess Savannah?

By Ken Trease (not verified) on 26 May 2010 #permalink

Right area Ken, but this one's name is onomatopoeic. It also forms huge flocks in Venezuela where it is considered a pest. This doesn't help but I saw my first one on the airfield on St. Mary's (the Isles of Scilly).

Thanks Adrian-great hints and now I know what it is. Probably a female?

By Ken Trease (not verified) on 26 May 2010 #permalink

What a gorgeous shot of a beautiful bird!

I'm glad someone got us to sparrow land. I'm interested in the sort of split looking tail and the white around the eye.

It looks to me like several non-breeding sparrows have some yellow in the face, but this is April, which leads me to wonder if this could be a first year bird, not quite in full breeding regalia?

I'm more clueless trying to figure out the hints than looking just at the bird. :(

It looks like a male Dickcissel (Spiza americana).

By Sebastian Marquez (not verified) on 26 May 2010 #permalink

It looks like a male Dickcissel (Spiza americana).

By Sebastian Marquez (not verified) on 26 May 2010 #permalink