This forum is for asking questions and providing answers on bird identification. New and visiting birders are encouraged to ask and participate.
By BCHunter
#90389
I spotted a bird on March 20 about 80 km North of Fort St. John that I had never seen before.
I think it might have been a black headed grosbeak...
Are they found this far North in B.C.
It was in thick brush close to the ground and was hopping around. Even though I saw it for only a minute or so, some bright orange was observed. Unfortunately, I never saw the beak!
Thanks.
User avatar
By BirdingBC
#90424
Very interesting. Not many orange birds would be up in Fort St. John in early spring. I am guessing it is still below zero and nothing is growing yet.

Sharing a link to orange birds of North America
https://www.birds-of-north-america.net/ ... birds.html

Varied Thrush is the size of a large sparrow. Plausible candidate

Pine Grosbeak (females have some orange)
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pine_Grosbeak/id

Red Crossbill or White-winged Crossbill - another species that can look orange at times
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red_Crossbill/id

Don't think it is a black headed grosbeak (BHGR) because well north of typical range plus still too early for BHGR to be up here. eg. BHGR show up in Victoria around the first week of may.

Bullocks or Baltimore Oriole? -- very unlikely as way to north and would not survive the cold.

Maybe an orange variant of a house finch? -- not likely if found in a remote location.

Say's Phoebe --- very early migrant and could occur as summer range is goes as far as Alaska.

Spotted Towhee -- well north of its range, unlikely.

Then we get into the possible Asian/European rare occurances
Brambling -- Could be, they breed in the far north. Slightly smaller than a sparrow
Redwing, Red-flanked bluetail -- between sparrow and robin.

Any further details about the bird or where it was located?

Here is a Cedar Waxwing from a few weeks back at B[…]

2024 Bird Challenge: Current Bird List

So sorry for being late in updating the list ... y[…]

Godwit?

At Blackie spit this week we found this shorebird […]

Tufted duck

I returned to report that I researched this questi[…]