Birdfeeder Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Hello, I wonder if anyone can help me identify a bird I saw in the garden yesterday, from the back it was small and quite upright, slim, rather than round like a robin and its wings were blackish on the tips. When it turned round I saw it had a bright red cap and a bright red patch lower down on its front, not its throat and breast like a robin. I've checked my bird book and looked on the web but can't find it! Does anyone know what it is? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Do you want to give us some clues?Country? County/Departement?Environment? Country, city, nearby fields woodland, pine forest etc.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 In the meantime, was it like any of these?http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/families/finches.aspxAngela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbie Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 At this time of year there often a lot of juvenile birds around. Have you tried checking if it could be a juvenile goldfinch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 What about redstart, or black redstart? They have a similar stance to a robin.They make a loud clicking sound when disturbed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdfeeder Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 Thanks for the suggestions, I think it may have been a Linnet from looking at the rspb site, though the colours aren't quite as vivid as the ones I saw - maybe the juvenile colours are?? The red was similar to that of a Great spotted woodpecker, the juvenile of which has a red cap, but this bird was nowhere near that size and its wings weren't spotted... There are lots of Black redstarts that visit our garden and it definitely wasn't one of them.Sorry should have mentioned I'm based in central France, dept 36, countryside, mainly cattle, so lots of fields growing stuff to feed them!I shall have to keep a lookout for him, try and get a photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Lots of photographs here:http://www.oiseaux.net/birds/photos/common.linnet.htmlI thoroughly recommend this site because of the very large number of pictures, which means that many colour variations are shown.The only drawback is that the English language listing uses full names - so the linnet is listed as a Common Linnet. Many other species have European, or Eurasian descriptors at the start and therefore do not appear where you would expect them to in the alphabetic listing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Rogers Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 My mate Andy the ornithologist agrees it's probably a linnet. I think I caught him before before he got stuck into the real ale so he may well know what he's talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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