Fw: Photos of an unusual bird

["Steve Carr" <stevecarr9 at msn dot com>]

I was working on my security system about the time the following reply 
was submitted, and it apparently didn't go through.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Steve Carr<mailto:stevecarr9@msn.com> 
To: Utah Birds<mailto:utahbirds@netscape.com> 
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2005 3:01 PM
Subject: Re: Photos of an unusual bird


There are many interesting aspects about this bird.  It does appear to 
be a healthy goldfinch, eating nyjer seed from the bag as it is.  The 
underparts, back and nape are bright yellow, which would favor the 
American.  The head is almost hooded, with an odd reddish color that is 
more extensive than the Lesser would show.  Hybrid colorations usually 
produce one color or the other in the usual areas of concern, but it is 
not unheard of to get a completely different color result.  There also 
appears to be an asymmetrical patch of reddish on the left chest, 
although it may be just on the throat.  In either case it is unusual for 
a goldfinch.  The undertail coverts are indistinct, but appear more 
light or light-grayish, which again favors the American.  The uppertail 
coverts are white, favoring the American.  The bill appears grayish, 
favoring the Lesser.

The proximal half of the wings is blackish without wingbars, again more 
likely to be American, but the distal half of the wings and tail are 
totally white.  Then, that tail!  It is apparently malformed with 
strangely shaped feathers.

This critter could be a partially albinistic hybrid American/Lesser 
Goldfinch.  I would expect to see more greenish or heavy grayish, or 
even reddish, on the back if it were a hybrid.  Or it could be an 
American Goldfinch with several mutational aspects causing the strange 
color pattern, partial albinism and the deformed tail.

--Steve Carr

  Peter Anderson of Orem sent in some photos of a very unusual bird.  
Does anybody have any ideas about what this bird is?

  Link:

  
http://utahbirds.org/hotlinephotos/Goldfinch.htm<http://utahbirds.org/hot
linephotos/Goldfinch.htm>

_______________________________________________

"Utah Birds" web site: http://www.utahbirds.org
     Birdnet:
To subscribe, e-mail:  birdnet-subscribe@utahbirds.org
To unsubscribe, e-mail:  birdnet-unsubscribe@utahbirds.org
To send a message, e-mail:  birdnet@utahbirds.org
_________________________________________________