Are these both female blackbirds?

**highlander** · 03-Jun-06, 22:21

unicorn · 03-Jun-06, 22:24

I only see one but I dunno cos it looks like a baby.

**highlander** · 03-Jun-06, 22:27

unicorn · 03-Jun-06, 22:28

the one on the birdtable looks like a thrush.

**highlander** · 03-Jun-06, 22:30

Sorry about that unicorn, it took me a few mins to find the other picture, in my bird book, it has a picture of the brown bird as a female blackbird, but what is the other one, it is the same size as a blackbird.

unicorn · 03-Jun-06, 22:36

ooked in my book and now I am confused lol 2nd one blackbird 1st lord knows lol.

**Seabird** · 03-Jun-06, 23:11

It's difficult to say what bird is in the first picture.
Because you are enlarging your pictures so much, it is causing distortions in the true colours.
Female blackbirds are brown with specs on their chest to varing degrees.
The first pic could be of a juvenile, they are almost as big as their parents when they leave the nest.
It's a pity the birds tail is'nt visible that would have helped.
Smaller images are sometimes better for detail.

**highlander** · 03-Jun-06, 23:33

**Kenn** · 04-Jun-06, 00:11

Think the first picture is a juvenile blackbird

**Kenn** · 04-Jun-06, 00:12

That's a pic I have on file of one

**Kenn** · 04-Jun-06, 00:21

The second 1 has me stumped..if a yellow beak was obvious then I would say a juvenile male, the eye ring seems right but the beak colour has me stumped.
Could we have some more pictures please?

**nemosia** · 06-Jun-06, 20:11

Second photo is a juv. starling.

Iain

**Kenn** · 08-Jun-06, 00:47

Nemosia ..sorry have to disagree a juvenile starling never had a beak like that and even when just fledged they have the irridescence and the speckles of the adult.

**nemosia** · 08-Jun-06, 16:51

Originally Posted by LIZZ

Nemosia ..sorry have to disagree a juvenile starling never had a beak like that and even when just fledged they have the irridescence and the speckles of the adult.

Hi Lizz,

I don't want to start an arguement with my first post but I think you are mistaken. I've scanned the relevant page from the collins bird guide but don't seem to have permission to post attachments (yet?) so if you have it please check page 341. The bottom left picture displays a juvenile starling. When fledged they are plain brown with none of the speckles or irridescence of the adult. This is obtained at the first moult.

To quote from Lars Svensson's book 'Identification of European Passerines "Juv. moults to spotted plumage from late June (England) or mid July (Fenno-Scandinavia) to mid-autumn, retaining the plain brown juv. feathers longest on head and lower back." The collins bird guide agrees and says in the text "Juvenile: all dull dirty brown".

There is nothing wrong with the beak for starling either. The impression is stern faced exactly like a juv. starling.

Two pairs of starlings are nesting in the back wall of my garden at the moment. I will try to get a shot of a juv. when they appear.

Regards,
Iain

scrapydoo · 08-Jun-06, 17:04

Originally Posted by nemosia

Hi Lizz,

I don't want to start an arguement with my first post but I think you are mistaken. I've scanned the relevant page from the collins bird guide but don't seem to have permission to post attachments (yet?) so if you have it please check page 341. The bottom left picture displays a juvenile starling. When fledged they are plain brown with none of the speckles or irridescence of the adult. This is obtained at the first moult.

To quote from Lars Svensson's book 'Identification of European Passerines "Juv. moults to spotted plumage from late June (England) or mid July (Fenno-Scandinavia) to mid-autumn, retaining the plain brown juv. feathers longest on head and lower back." The collins bird guide agrees and says in the text "Juvenile: all dull dirty brown".

There is nothing wrong with the beak for starling either. The impression is stern faced exactly like a juv. starling.

Two pairs of starlings are nesting in the back wall of my garden at the moment. I will try to get a shot of a juv. when they appear.

Regards,
Iain

If you sign up withh photobucket you will be able to post attachments
http://www.photobucket.com/

**nemosia** · 08-Jun-06, 17:12

Originally Posted by scrapydoo

If you sign up withh photobucket you will be able to post attachments
http://www.photobucket.com/

Hi Scrapydoo,

Thanks for the info. I'll set up an account.

Iain

**highlander** · 08-Jun-06, 23:04

**Kenn** · 09-Jun-06, 00:21

nemosia thank you for the correction not thought to do a double take on the juvenile starlings I have here but will do so in the morning.
I have several bird books but have yet to find one that I could call accurate, if any one knows of one I would be interested.
I often find that a search The RSPB site I can find what I am looking for any other good sites out there?

**nemosia** · 23-Jun-06, 19:09

Originally Posted by LIZZ

nemosia thank you for the correction not thought to do a double take on the juvenile starlings I have here but will do so in the morning.
I have several bird books but have yet to find one that I could call accurate, if any one knows of one I would be interested.
I often find that a search The RSPB site I can find what I am looking for any other good sites out there?

Hi Lizz,

Sorry its taken so long to reply (blame to football).

This is from the excellent Collins Bird Guide by Killian Mullarney. Many consider this to be the best field guide available and there is a large format version which does better justice to illustrations.

For many years I've used Lars Jonsson's 'Birds of Europe'. Much of this guide was originally published in five parts in the Penguin Nature Guides series back in 1978. The single volume appeared in 1992 with many new plates (140 in fact) and I still love the way Lars captures the character of the birds.

Cheers
Iain

**Fran** · 10-Jul-06, 01:14

i think your picture of the bird on the bird table is a young female blackbird, like the young one i have left in my ivy. both parents are blackbirds.