Expert: Julia Booth - 2/26/2010

Question
Hi Julia, I live in Southwest Florida, and my bird feeder attracts an array of birds, mostly starlings, grackels, doves etc. The other day I noticed a small blackbird, it wasn't a starling or grackel and it was about the size of a cardinal, it allowed me to walk right up to it, as it was feeding, and I noticed that its eyes were somewhat clouded over, so I reached down and actually petted it before it fluttered away, when I approached it again, it waited until I contacted it before it flew away again, I went inside, and about an hour later, it was on the feeder again, attempting to feed, so this time I used a net and captured it, rather easily, and brough it to the local wildlife rehab center and left it with an attendant, who wasn't sure what kind it was or what was wrong with it, but would let me know. The bird was black all over with a conical bill, and was very gentle, again, about the size of a cardinal. Would you be able to venture a guess?? thank you...Nick

Answer
Possibilities are Black Phoebe, Bobolink, Lark Bunting, Brewer's Blackbird. I cannot tell you for sure without an image to go from. It's possible that it was actually losing its vision hence the cloudy eyes- and that's why it reacted so tamely towards you. The other possibility is that it escaped from a pet store and is not a bird that is native to your state.

I am curious if you will get a positive ID from the local wildlife rehab center. Let me know what you find out.


Julia