Feeding Wild Birds

[alinas2010]

You're so lucky to have a nest nearby. We had one the first year we were here and loved watching the babies grow up. Unfortunately for us, the bald eagles would not share their territory very willingly and the osprey found somewhere else to nest the next year.

By far my favorite bird. They are also referred to as sea hawks here. The Seattle Seahawks are named for them.

I looked up baby ospreys, they’re sooo cute. They look like little dinosaurs! What a neat thing to experience. A shame they got scared away. Didn’t know that about the sea hawks, either!

 

[TwoCrows]

Can anyone identify this bird? Is it a juvenile grackle? The camera called it a crow, but I don’t know about that.View attachment 4173496View attachment 4173497

Video:

The beak looks too thick and rounded for a Grackle, looks like a Crow to me.

 

[alinas2010]

The beak looks too thick and rounded for a Grackle, looks like a Crow to me.

That would be my dream come true! I’m sad the feeder was empty, I am going to add peanuts to it.

 

[TwoCrows]

That would be my dream come true! I’m sad the feeder was empty, I am going to add peanuts to it.

Crows are smart, he will remember to check for food there, I bet he returns soon!

 

[R2elk]

Can anyone identify this bird? Is it a juvenile grackle? The camera called it a crow, but I don’t know about that.View attachment 4173496View attachment 4173497View attachment 4173498View attachment 4173499

Video:

I can't get a good feel for the size but the bill and the eye look like a crow to me. Definitely not a Grackle.

 

[alinas2010]

I can't get a good feel for the size but the bill and the eye look like a crow to me. Definitely not a Grackle.

It seems small right? The size throws me off too. Maybe a young crow or something.

 

[ValerieJ]

Looks like a crow to me also. We have crows and ravens in Washington. The ravens are much larger. I don't know about grackles. Just what I've seen here.

 

[R2elk]

It seems small right? The size throws me off too. Maybe a young crow or something.

It's the fish eye lens that throws all the perspectives out of whack.

 

[R2elk]

Looks like a crow to me also. We have crows and ravens in Washington. The ravens are much larger. I don't know about grackles. Just what I've seen here.

From the ones I have seen here, the Ravens aren't that much bigger than Crows but have a different shaped beak.

Grackles aren't half the size of a crow.

 

[TwoCrows]

See all the "hair" above the nares? This is a Crow/Raven characteristic, not a Grackle thing. Ravens have a thicker more of a down turned beak tip as well. This bird is too small to be a Raven, even 3 months old Ravens are nearly as large as their parents, it's a Crow. It's not a baby either as it doesn't have that red "gape flange" that extends from inside of the mouth to the corners of the beak on the outside. This red color when the bird opens its mouth signals mom and dad to feed it. The red disappears as the bird matures months later.