Birding/strange bird

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Expert: - 9/30/2006


Question
Saturday (Sept. 30/06) at about 7:30 a.m. we saw a bird we have never seen before. We live in southeastern New Brunswick, Canada for referenece purposes. The bird was a bit bigger than a robin (more like the common black bird) with a fairly large  all white head. The back was mostly black with white speckles (can't exactly recall the front). We have never seen such a bird in this part of the world and I wonder if it somehow got off course en route to somewhere where it is common.
Any suggestions?
many thanks   BM<  

Answer
I cannot give you a definitive answer as to what kind of bird it is as your description is not complete enough for me to tell. This time of year birds migrate and sometimes birds go off course. But a more likely explanation is that you saw an immature bird as there are lots of those this time of year as well. But I just cannot venture a guess. Roger Lederer at Ornithology.com

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Roger Lederer

Expertise

Any and all about WILD birds - the science of ornithology. Information about birdwatching, ecology, conservation, migration, behavior, banding, rehabilitation, feeding, songs, binoculars, identification, and careers in ornithology. No questions about pet or caged birds, please.

Experience

Have a PhD and over forty years as a professional ornithologist - research, teaching, author, speaker, webmaster of Ornithology.com . Have written thirty scientific papers, three bird field guides, a textbook in ecology and two recent books entitled "Amazing Birds" and "Birds of New England". Have traveled to over 90 countries watching birds.

Education/Credentials
PhD in Zoology/Ornithology; Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences; former Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at California State University, Chico

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