Bird Quiz Again, Again – Identified
September 1, 2015
Brown-headed Cowbird, immature male molting into 1st basic plumage.
Got a photo you think will make a good quiz?
Send the photo (the clearer, the better), along with location, date, whom to credit and…uh, this is important…what it is. Email it to: webinfo493 [AT] verizon [DOT] net
[Chuck Almdale]
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Quiz Bird – Randy Ehler 8/6/15
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SANTA MONICA BAY AUDUBON SOCIETY BLOG 
Going out on a limb here – partially leucistic Brown-headed Cowbird. I can’t make any of the blackbirds or buntings or grosbeaks fit, so I think it has to be a leucistic something.
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Close enough! Immature male in molt Brown-headed Cowbird. There’s a near dead ringer (watch your parsing!) on page 508 of the NGS 6th edition field guide. Bill shape (if the view is from the side) is useful for separating BH Cowbird from the rest of the icterids. The purpose using pictures of this bird and the grackle in molt is to remind people that there are lots of funny-looking but common birds around at this time of year.
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