Expert: Julia Booth - 5/5/2008

Question
QUESTION: i live in Indiana and i saw a bird with what appeared to be a checkered tail and a red spot on its chest and it had a short beak can you tell me what bird this was? thank u

ANSWER: The first bird that comes to mind is the Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, which is found all throughout Indiana. However, I can't be certain without some additional information.

How big was the bird? Crow sized, sparrow sized etc.

Where did you see it? In flight, on the ground, near water, perched on a branch.

Did it make any noise?

What shape was it's beak? You said short, but was it cone shaped like a sparrow or finch or hooked in some way?



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: it was crow sized and it was on my birdfeeder it had a curved beak and i think u may be right though

Answer
Crow-sized is much bigger than a Grosbeak. The Grosbeak's bill is short an conical -shaped like a cone.

This website has a fairly comprehensive checklist of the birds found in your state:

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/chekbird/r3/18.htm