Christine Animal Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 I also have a bird question for Chris. The other day on the ground where we feed the birds ther was one we have never seen before, about thrush size, but with a very long straight beak and a sort of long crest on the head, just as straight as the beak and, seen from profile, it looks as if the beak and the crest are in one straight line through the head. He wasn't eating the bird food, but seemed to be sticking his beak into the ground, like for worms or something. As the light was behind him and he was at a certain distance, I couldn't say the actual colour, probably brownish, but not a brightly coloured bird.I've had a quick search, but can't find him, any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tresco Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Hoopoe?[IMG]http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i76/twinm/hoopoe.jpg[/IMG] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Bless you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted April 18, 2006 Author Share Posted April 18, 2006 No, it's not a Hoopoe, bless you Tresco. It's a straight beak and completeley straight crest as if it's a twig exactly the same either side of the head.Hope Chris will know, bless him... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 The crest can sometimes be less elevated, lucky you Christine, crested lark! Hope I'm right, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tresco Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 [quote user="Christine Animal"] No, it's not a Hoopoe, bless you Tresco. It's a straight beak and completeley straight crest as if it's a twig exactly the same either side of the head.[/quote]Is Chris right?. That beak doesn't look long to me!I thought your bird might be a Muddy Lapwing, but there is no such bird.[:D]LOL Basically the Hoopoe is the only bird I know, apart from The White Faced Whistling Duck (Denocygna viduata).[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted April 18, 2006 Author Share Posted April 18, 2006 No, nothing like it Chris. The crest is not like a crest and the beak is not like a beak...It's as if, seen from a little way off, it's one straight twig going right through, looking similar each side of the head.A few days before my husband had said he had seen a funny looking bird, then when I called him to see the one pecking outside, he said it was the same one he had seen, but neither of us had ever seen one before.I wonder what I could google to try to find it...Have you got a site Chris, with birds by category? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkhunter Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Maybe a lapwing dressing down?? or a snipe with hair gel on!!! and it's too small for a curlew perhaps.will give it more thought, hugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tresco Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Lapwing Dressing Down... would that be the same as the lesser known 'Muddy Lapwing' I referred to earlier?[:)]Christine, is the 'twig' upright or horizontal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted April 18, 2006 Author Share Posted April 18, 2006 What is meant by Dressing Down? I would say the twig was upright, when he was eating with his head down, the twig and beak seemed to be in one straight line. But I suppose if he had his head up in a normal position, it would be more horizontal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tresco Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 [quote user="Christine Animal"]What is meant by Dressing Down? [/quote]I think both Hugh and I were thinking a Lapwing has a twig like head garment, but Lapwings are very distinctively black and white (as if dressed for a black tie dinner). So if they dressed 'down' they might be duller...[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted April 18, 2006 Author Share Posted April 18, 2006 Thanks Tresco. Yes, he was definitely dressed down. Could look something like a Woodcock, but they don't seem to have anything on their head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viv Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Is this it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tresco Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 No 'twig' viva, unless... the bird Christine saw was a Snipe with a twig on its head[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Well, I can't think of anything other than a crested lark or hoopoe with its crest down.If you go to: http://www.oiseaux.net/photos/index.html and click on fiches list nom frainçaise and then look at everything with "huppé" in its name, that's all the birds with crests.Anyone with an interest in birds should bookmark this site, it's the best French bird site in my opinion.Have fun, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Katie Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Fingers crossed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Chris, that is a brilliant site. Thank you very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted April 18, 2006 Author Share Posted April 18, 2006 Yes, thanks for the site Chris, there are an awful lot of huppés on it! The "huppé" is similar to that of the Vanneau Huppé (Northern Lapwing), but it's not that.I'll keep looking... à demain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deimos Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 [IMG]http://www.birds.mu/Extinct/Images/Dodo1.jpg[/img]Fairly rareIan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 Deimos. Captain Cook ate the last one i think.Thats why the natives killed him.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 Sounds like one of the woodpecker family.Wryneck has a dark line going down the centre of his crown and back which can look like a ruff. He is now on passage from wintering in africa, prefers ants than your bird food. etc.Michael. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted April 19, 2006 Author Share Posted April 19, 2006 No, it's not a Woodpecker Michael. I have been through all the huppés and cresteds and am very embarrassed to say that the only one I have found which looks anything like it is the Huppe Fasciée, which is Tresco's Hoopoe and, as Chris said, with it's crest down. But it seems far more "dressed up" than I remember, I didn't notice all the white on the wings. He does look different when eating with the crest down than on your photo Tresco. If it was that, how clever of you to have found it first go from my description. Are they very common? We have never seen one before. It does says they arrive in April. Thanks everyone. If we see it again I shall try to take a photo! http://www.aves.be/dossier_photos/huppe.htmhttp://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/h/hoopoe/index.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tresco Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 Hi ChristineMaybe I should have found a different picture, one with the 'twig' rather than the 'fan'.I remember when ours first came, how amazing it was when it fanned out its crest. There are different types, and maybe yours is one without such visible markings?They (a pair) seem to turn up in late spring here, just for a few days and then they're gone again. I don't know how comon they are, but I think they sometimes make it as far as south west England too.They are very shy birds. I managed to get a good photo taken through the window, but as soon as I crept outside they were off, probably up to your place, the fickle blighters.[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 I watched one feeding today and became convinced that was what it was, light can play strange tricks.They are fairly common, I'm tempted to say very common in PC but they get a bit shy as Spring progresses, I suppose thats due to actual breeding as opposed to cranking up for it, I've seen quite a few pairs and singles in the last couple of weeks.That's sorted then, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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