Mystery Bird 20-473
Identifying nestling songbirds can sometimes be a challenge, especially if it's a species we do not regularly see. We consider the bird’s weight, the shape of its beak, the color of the inside of the mouth, the color of the gape flanges (they make a baby bird’s mouth really wide) and whether or not it has any down on it. Even after the feathers have grown in it can be challenging. Juvenile plumage can be significantly different from adult plumage.
Two-and-a-half weeks ago 20-473. a large nestling was admitted. It had been caught by a cat and had several small puncture wounds and a ruptured air sac. When air escapes from an air sac it is trapped under the bird’s skin, and the bird literally blows up like a balloon. Fortunately the condition generally corrects itself, but we may need to periodically remove the subcutaneous air using a hypodermic needle.
The nestling was essentially full-grown, although it was not yet fully feathered. It weighed 14 grams (1/2 ounce). From the shape of its beak we thought it was a type of flycatcher. According to our Sibley Field Guide, there are 37 species of flycatchers and at least 11 can be found in eastern Oregon. It was too large to be one of the tiny flycatchers and too small to be a Say’s Phoebe. We were leaning towards Willow Flycatcher. As more feathers grew, we concluded it was a Western Wood-Peewee - a new species for BMW! Aaron Skirvin of the Pendleton Bird Club agreed.
The Week in Review
Baby season is drawing to a close. There were just six admissions to the Pendleton Center this past week including a Cooper’s Hawk, a Red-tailed Hawk, a Western Screech Owl and a Great Horned Owl. Volunteer Ailene released four American Robins at McNary Wildlife Refuge in Burbank, WA. Volunteers Bill and Tiffany returned a Red-tailed Hawk to Walla Walla where the finder released it. Bill sent the video below.
