Name that bird....

Roger,

To my untrained , amateur eye I suspect you have identified
our flying bling bird.... an Orange Bishop Weaver Finch. Seems
to pass the comparison test.

...then again, I lack any authority to make it so...but will share
the finding with friends.

Thanks

Charles

I remember a incident in Sacramento decades ago, when a bunch of Amazon parrots escaped the local zoo. They were large enough not to be preyed upon, and Sacramento turned out to be a good environment with lots of trees and ample food supply. For YEARS the residents had fun watching for them. These were the red and green parrots, plus some blue and yellow, just gorgeous. My parents enjoyed trying to catch photos of those beauties resting in their tallest tree.

Oooh - Orange Bishop sure looks like a winner?!

Could someone with an up to date book look up Orange Bishop? It's a Weaver finch from sub-Saharan Africa and was introduced in the 80's in Los Angeles and Phoenix. It's the only one I could find with a black vest and cap.

On edit I think I found it here

Orange Bishop

CA Poppy...

Your tale sounds familiar... apparently here in the Phoenix
Metroplex an Aviary owner (in the 80's) let loose a flock of
South African Peach faced Lovebirds... they have survived. This
one visits semi-regularly. Not sure if "Urban myth" but sure
makes the visits more appreciated....

Charles

cdlaine wrote:
Update... I pimped a local Wildlife Biologist. He believes it to be a rare citing of a wayward Central American traveller (re:illegal bird alien)... but could not name genus/species. Just his opinion. Hope the local Red – tail hawks don’t see him as an hors d’oevure.
Couldn't reference the bird in my texts.
a very cool visitor....:C
Charles

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That sounds like a good guess. Birds do get loose from collectors, zoos and breeders. Here in So Cal and the SW states, people have been known to smuggle exotic birds in cars re-entering the US with often disastrous results for the animal. Unfortunately, a colorful guy like that does call attention to himself. :(

Update... I pimped a local Wildlife Biologist. He believes it to be a rare citing of a wayward Central American traveller (re:illegal bird alien)... but could not name genus/species. Just his opinion. Hope the local Red – tail hawks don’t see him as an hors d’oevure.

Couldn't reference the bird in my texts.

a very cool visitor....:C



Charles

I found a bunch of photos online when searching black and yellow goldfinch, but none as fancy as that guy is. He's just gorgeous!

Thanks team... Goldfinch is good for me...just couldn't
find its' twin in any of my ornithology texts.

Beautiful bird tho',very colorful.... a bit hungry.

Thanks

Charles

A variety of a goldfinch? although most do not have black heads.