Bird Identification
Discussion
Sitting here in East London yesterday, heard a loud (very) constant sqrawking then two birds landed in the garden. Obviously male and female, male was about a pigeon size but had a grey body and a black face and red feathers on the top of its head.
Female followed him round the garden, she was a dull brown colour.
Any ideass, I've tried searches on that description and nothing comes up as a match.
Sounded like we were in the Tropics.
Female followed him round the garden, she was a dull brown colour.
Any ideass, I've tried searches on that description and nothing comes up as a match.
Sounded like we were in the Tropics.
Hmm, it does sound vaguely like a (Greater Spotted) woodpecker, but they are not as big as a pigeon. It's the juveniles that have the red feathers on the top, which disappear as they get older (the males are left with red feathers at the back of the neck, the females lose all their red head feathers).
If you saw the bird from the front, which is white, I guess these could have looked grey, but they do have black with white wing feathers, with red feathers on the undertail.
Green Woodpeckers also have a red head, but the rest of them are green.
If you saw the bird from the front, which is white, I guess these could have looked grey, but they do have black with white wing feathers, with red feathers on the undertail.
Green Woodpeckers also have a red head, but the rest of them are green.
From here: https://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/dis...
RSPB said:
The green woodpecker is the largest of the three woodpeckers that breed in Britain. It has a heavy-looking body, short tail and a strong, long bill. It is green on its upperparts with a paler belly, bright yellow rump and red on the top of its head. The black 'moustache' has a red centre in males. They have an undulating flight and a loud, laughing call.
Green woodpeckers spend most of their time feeding on the ground. Look out for them on your garden lawn or in parks - short grass provides good feeding opportunities for them.
Green woodpeckers spend most of their time feeding on the ground. Look out for them on your garden lawn or in parks - short grass provides good feeding opportunities for them.
muppets_mate said:
I put your description in the RSPB Bird Finder ( link ) and it suggested Green Woodpecker but I am not sure because the female isn't dull brown like you mentioned, in fact they're both pretty, erm, green.
It was probably a parent feeding a juvenile fledgling - hence all the noise, the colours are much more muted/yet to develop.Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff