Out planting trees I saw a bird I cannot identify. It is not in either of my bird books. Does anyone know of a website with pictures of wild birds?

This was in an old hayfield with just grass and alfalfa - no trees or bushes. There is a drainage ditch there, still flowing a little, and they were near the water. Beak, feet, and underside all black, top of head also black but back of head and neck are blonde. Black and white pattern on back and wings. A very chatty bird, doesn't sing really, but makes a lot of noise. There were two of them, I think they looked the same, not absolutely certain.

Does this sound like a bird you have seen? Do you know what it could be? Central Minnesota in mid-May. Thanks for any help. Sandy

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Answers

How big were they (compare to another bird -- crow, robin, sparrow, chickadee)? Could they be magpies?

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Sandy, sounds like a yellow-headed blackbird.. If it's black on top of the head, it's a female.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Hi, and thank you. Yep, it's about blackbird size (sorry I forgot to include that, I'm a dummy this week). But, doesn't the male have a totally yellow head? Neither of these do.

I'm still looking for a bird website but could also use suggestion for a good identification book. I have 'Birds of Minnesota' and an Audoban(sp) book and am not satisfied with either one. Two weeks ago I found a poor little dead woodcock way out back. Neither book listed woodcocks at all.

Can anyone recommend a bird identification book they are happy with? Thank you. Sandy

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

It sounds like a Bobolink. In my book is says:

Breeding male black, with back of head yellowish and much white on wings and lower back, other plumages buffy, heavily streaked above. Moist open fields, meadows, farmlands and marshes.

The pic has a big patch of yellow on the back of his head and neck, and a yellow stipe straight down from that with white mixed in with the black on the wings and back down to a all black tail. The girl is yellow and brown all mixed together, with 2 brown stripes over her eyes and mostly yellow underside. The boy calls "Pink"

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

http://mbgnet.mobot.org/pfg/diverse/biomes/grasslnd/animals/bobolink.h tm

Here's a pic I found. My book is North American Wildlife from Readers Digest, plants, trees, and all animals and fish.

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

Thank you, Cindy! Boy, that sure looks like them! Took binocs with me last trip out there. I thought to myself "those birds look as if they are wearing a white boa or scarf draped loosely from shoulder to shoulder over their backs". And there it is in your picture. Btw, the addy must be a little off, I had to cut after 'animals' to get there. Gee. Bobolinks. Bobolink, bobolink. That's fun to say, if you're easily amused. Thanks again. Sandy

-- Anonymous, May 17, 2001

The space here to write the message will make a space in the link if the link is too long. It's supposed to be .htm with no space. I havn't figured out how to stop it from happening.

It's a funny looking bird isn't it! It looks like it got hit in the back of the head with a yellow paintball! I just love the birds, our cardinals and barn swallows came, and the fireflies are here now too.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

A picture is worth a thousand words. I have several bird books, but the one I reach for most often is Birds of North America by Robbins, Bruun & Zim, from Golden Press. It's a convenient size, has everything, easy to use, good illustrations, and relatively inexpensive. The tree book in the same series (Golden Field Guide) is also very good.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

That first one Sam mentioned is the one I use too. It's pretty good!

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

Could be a penguin. Did it smell bad?

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

Oops, ignore that last remark, I was goofing around and hit the "submit" instead of "back". Sorry.

-- Anonymous, May 18, 2001

Oh, I dunno David! It *could* be!! We had a flock of brown pelicans down on the lake a couple years back...this in north central Wisconsin. Quite a flight inland for them! Why not penguins, it's Minnesota after all.

(I was wondering if they were Bobolinks too, but I couldn't find a picture to show. They showed up one summer out at the horse farm and they were lovely.)

-- Anonymous, May 19, 2001

I gotta remember that excuse, David. I know I'll need it.

-- Anonymous, May 19, 2001

Yep,what Sam said!

We sure seem to be in agreement alot,Sam. What gives?

-- Anonymous, May 19, 2001