In article , "OhioGuy" wrote:

An unusual looking bird was outside about half an hour ago, eating the cat
food that I put out by a raised bed near our North Star cherry tree. I've
never seen one of these before here in SW Ohio, so I thought I would post a
picture to see if anyone else recognizes it.

At first I thought it was a grey jay, then I thought perhaps a kingfisher,
but neither of those lives around here. Then I thought perhaps a northern
raven, but those are usually darker, much larger, and don't have the grey
slash on the side. After looking at the photos, I realized that what I had
thought was a crest was actually a humpback of some kind. It is one of the
wierder looking birds I've seen around here.

It is grey in color, roughly 11-13" long including the tail, and has a
white or light grey mark at the top of the wing. It also has what I would
describe as a huge hump, with the head down below. Head itself is a darker
black color.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/5789/mysterybird.jpg


Please take a look, and thanks!

First thought a cat bird but the skull is weird.

I'd post over in Rec.birds



Bill

--

Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

http://prototype.nytimes.com/gst/articleSkimmer/

An unusual looking bird was outside about half an hour ago, eating the cat
food that I put out by a raised bed near our North Star cherry tree. I've
never seen one of these before here in SW Ohio, so I thought I would post a
picture to see if anyone else recognizes it.

At first I thought it was a grey jay, then I thought perhaps a kingfisher,
but neither of those lives around here. Then I thought perhaps a northern
raven, but those are usually darker, much larger, and don't have the grey
slash on the side. After looking at the photos, I realized that what I had
thought was a crest was actually a humpback of some kind. It is one of the
wierder looking birds I've seen around here.

It is grey in color, roughly 11-13" long including the tail, and has a
white or light grey mark at the top of the wing. It also has what I would
describe as a huge hump, with the head down below. Head itself is a darker
black color.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/5789/mysterybird.jpg


Please take a look, and thanks!

OhioGuy said:


An unusual looking bird was outside about half an hour ago, eating the
cat
food that I put out by a raised bed near our North Star cherry tree. I've
never seen one of these before here in SW Ohio, so I thought I would post
a
picture to see if anyone else recognizes it.

At first I thought it was a grey jay, then I thought perhaps a kingfisher,
but neither of those lives around here. Then I thought perhaps a northern
raven, but those are usually darker, much larger, and don't have the grey
slash on the side. After looking at the photos, I realized that what I had
thought was a crest was actually a humpback of some kind. It is one of the
wierder looking birds I've seen around here.

It is grey in color, roughly 11-13" long including the tail, and has a
white or light grey mark at the top of the wing. It also has what I would
describe as a huge hump, with the head down below. Head itself is a
darker
black color.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/5789/mysterybird.jpg


Young grackle with warble fly larva in its neck, maybe.

In any case, I think that's a young grackle with a problem/deformity.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

"So, it was all a dream."
"No dear, this is the dream, you're still in the cell."

email valid but not regularly monitored

"Pat Kiewicz" wrote in message
...
OhioGuy said:


An unusual looking bird was outside about half an hour ago, eating the
cat
food that I put out by a raised bed near our North Star cherry tree. I've
never seen one of these before here in SW Ohio, so I thought I would post
a
picture to see if anyone else recognizes it.

At first I thought it was a grey jay, then I thought perhaps a
kingfisher,
but neither of those lives around here. Then I thought perhaps a northern
raven, but those are usually darker, much larger, and don't have the grey
slash on the side. After looking at the photos, I realized that what I
had
thought was a crest was actually a humpback of some kind. It is one of
the
wierder looking birds I've seen around here.

It is grey in color, roughly 11-13" long including the tail, and has a
white or light grey mark at the top of the wing. It also has what I would
describe as a huge hump, with the head down below. Head itself is a
darker
black color.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/5789/mysterybird.jpg


Young grackle with warble fly larva in its neck, maybe.

In any case, I think that's a young grackle with a problem/deformity.



Looks like a young cowbird.
http://www.birdzilla.com/images/stor...wbird-m450.jpg

Or: http://hca.gilead.org.il/ugly_duc.html

"Pat Kiewicz" wrote in message
...
OhioGuy said:


An unusual looking bird was outside about half an hour ago, eating the
cat
food that I put out by a raised bed near our North Star cherry tree. I've
never seen one of these before here in SW Ohio, so I thought I would post
a
picture to see if anyone else recognizes it.

At first I thought it was a grey jay, then I thought perhaps a
kingfisher,
but neither of those lives around here. Then I thought perhaps a northern
raven, but those are usually darker, much larger, and don't have the grey
slash on the side. After looking at the photos, I realized that what I
had
thought was a crest was actually a humpback of some kind. It is one of
the
wierder looking birds I've seen around here.

It is grey in color, roughly 11-13" long including the tail, and has a
white or light grey mark at the top of the wing. It also has what I would
describe as a huge hump, with the head down below. Head itself is a
darker
black color.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/5789/mysterybird.jpg


Young grackle with warble fly larva in its neck, maybe.

In any case, I think that's a young grackle with a problem/deformity.

Or someone played around with Photo Shop. ;-)


--
Pat in Plymouth MI

"So, it was all a dream."
"No dear, this is the dream, you're still in the cell."

email valid but not regularly monitored

brooklyn1 said:



"Pat Kiewicz" wrote in message
-
september.org...
OhioGuy said:

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/5789/mysterybird.jpg


Young grackle with warble fly larva in its neck, maybe.

Looks like a young cowbird.
http://www.birdzilla.com/images/stor.../brown-headed-
cowbird-m450.jpg

Beak is far too narrow (especially the lower mandible) for a cowbird,
and the bird's overall length too long, going by the tray size.

The upper back and neck is the area where you are most likely to
find warbles (botfly larvae) as those areas are the hardest for the
victim to groom. A number of the rabbits I've trapped have had
warbles on their necks.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

"So, it was all a dream."
"No dear, this is the dream, you're still in the cell."

email valid but not regularly monitored

Welcome to Garden-Planters,
The upper back and neck is the area where you are most likely to
find warbles (botfly larvae) as those areas are the hardest for the
victim to groom. A number of the rabbits I've trapped have had
warbles on their necks.

An unusual looking bird was outside about half an hour ago,
I've never seen one of these before here in SW Ohio,
It is grey in color, roughly 11-13" long including the tail, and has a
white or light grey mark at the top of the wing. It also has what I would
describe as a huge hump, with the head down below. Head itself is a
darker black color.
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/5789/mysterybird.jpg




Or someone played around with Photo Shop. ;-)


.... I'm pretty sure I see Michael Jackson
.... in the splotch on the bird's neck ..
A bit blurry - could be Elvis .. ?
John T

Hi,
Then I thought perhaps a northern
raven, but those are usually darker, much larger, and don't have the grey
slash on the side. After looking at the photos, I realized that what I had
thought was a crest was actually a humpback of some kind. It is one of the
wierder looking birds I've seen around here.

It is grey in color, roughly 11-13"" long including the tail, and has a
white or light grey mark at the top of the wing.

Upper back and neck area, you are most likely to find warbles (botfly larvae) is the most difficult because these regions Groom victims. A number, I trapped rabbits warbles in their neck.