Whatbird.com

SE Minnesota I saw this gray and yellow bird that I cannot seem to identify.  Any suggestions?

 

its not there

---

Check list: 77
Recent ones: House Finch, Pine Grosbeak, White-Breasted Nuthatch.
My Favs: Black-Headed Grosbeak, Wood Duck, Violet-Green swallow.

“God finds a low branch for the bird that cannot fly.”
~Turkish Proverb~

Except for a color statement and location you sort of left it wide open! 

But, I going to take a shot and hope that you have a Guide to check.  For starters, take a look at a Great Crested Flycatcher and the Connecticut Warbler. 

But, we really need some more details.  Such as, maybe size range by comparison to a well known bird, the locations of the colors on the bird, did it have an eye-ring or wingbars, and any other noteworthy observation.

Sorry Shad.  your picture didn't come through.  Try again

---

Matthew 6:26
James 1:2-5

Sorry about that.  Here is the photo now.

Looks like maybe Mourning or Connecticut Warbler.  Not sure if the Connecticut is in that area.

Nancy

 

Kinda hard to tell for sure... can't see the wings enough to see if there are any wingbars. Also can't see the legs. From what I can see , though, it looks like a Nashville Warbler. The gray head, white eye-ring, yellow breast, yellow undertail coverts, and green back and what I can see of the wings, also greenish, all point to Nashville. Well within it's range, too.

Edit: I think the eye-ring is too well-defined for a Mourning Warbler, and the yellow undertail coverts are too short for a Connecticut....... at least according to the descriptions and field marks listed in my Sibley's.

---

We did not inherit Mother Earth from our ancestors...... we have borrowed Her from our descendants.
Chief Seattle (paraphrased)

Great!  Thank you so much for the information!

Now that the picture came through it looks like one of my guesses pointed in the right direction.  You only have to decide between three Warblers.

Hi, Shad
That would be a American Redstart.

Note the yellow base of tail, yellow sides, and black tail. Yellow base of tail is wrong for a Oporonis warbler, as well as the black tail. The bird doesn't strike me as having the shape of the Oporonis warblers I've seen either.

Good Birding!
Joe L
 

---

-Joe
My gallery

JoeL:

Hi, Shad
That would be a American Redstart.

Note the yellow base of tail, yellow sides, and black tail. Yellow base of tail is wrong for a Oporonis warbler, as well as the black tail. The bird doesn't strike me as having the shape of the Oporonis warblers I've seen either.

Good Birding!
JoeL
 

You may well be right, JoeL.....I'm no expert on Warblers by any means! I can see characteristics of both in the photo. Part of the body is blocked by limbs, but it looks to me that the tail is too short in proportion to the body for a Redstart. And it appears to me that the yellow is the undertail coverts, not the tail feathers themselves as would be the case for a Redstart. Not sure about the bill, since it may be partially blocked by another limb. Tough call .

---

We did not inherit Mother Earth from our ancestors...... we have borrowed Her from our descendants.
Chief Seattle (paraphrased)

Bird brain:
The tail is cocked, giving the impression of a much shorter tail. The head should be pale gray instead of just plain gray, on Mourning. And with Connecticut structure should be completely different. The black tail is not a feature shared with the Oporornis genus.

Maybe the poster of this thread could tell us what the underparts of the bird looked like?
And also if he/she has another picture.

Take a look at this picture, of a female American Redstart.

Joe L

---

-Joe
My gallery

Joel,

Thank you!

I must admit that I didn't even think of a Redstart, but now that I look, I believe you're correct.  I kind of wondered about that yellow down by the tail.....

The photo sure made it look like more of the breast was yellow than what I would think was on a Redstart.  Just when I thought I was starting to know something about birds, something like this comes along and makes me think I'm back at square one!!!

Welcome to Whatbird!

Nancy

The yellow on the tail means it has to be a redstart.

---

Last Life Birds- American Tree Sparrow, Pine Siskin, and Harlequin Duck

I yield to those who know these species better than I do. Like I said, I'm no expert on Warblers, and I never even thought of it being a Redstart.

Sorry I misidentified it for you, Shad. However, I learned something from this thread. Good call, JoeL.

---

We did not inherit Mother Earth from our ancestors...... we have borrowed Her from our descendants.
Chief Seattle (paraphrased)