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Bird ID
updated: Mar 23, 2013, 10:40 AM
By Dulce
Here are photos of male and female birds at a feeder on Mesa near the Lighthouse. Does anyone know
what they are and where they migrate from? They are not in any of our bird books.
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Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)
COMMENT 388702
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2013-03-23 11:12 AM |
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Nutmeg Mannikins. SE Asian species now established in the LA area and prolific here but, not countable as a wild bird in SB yet.
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BJGREEN
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2013-03-23 11:28 AM |
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Yes, Nutmeg Mannikins, aka Spice Finches or Spotted Munias. I was also puzzled by them at first, so I paged through the entire Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America, and finally found them on the very LAST page!
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COMMENT 388715P
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2013-03-23 11:42 AM |
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I love their jaunty vests!
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BULLSEYEB
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2013-03-23 11:46 AM |
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Attractive little guys and gals! 715P: I like the description! Nice photos too. :)
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COMMENT 388721
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2013-03-23 11:54 AM |
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Cool never seen them before.
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COMMENT 388778P
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2013-03-23 01:50 PM |
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Saw one in my front yard, Upper East side, about five years ago. The House sparrows and House finches were only semi-accepting of him. He was only here a few days. I thought he'd got out of someone's aviary. Such pretty little birds. I wonder how their "invasion" will affect the rest of our bird community.
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COMMENT 388782
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2013-03-23 02:02 PM |
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One of the easiest finches to keep and breed in an aviary. They are sold for this purpose . No doubt that is how they have established themselves in such a benign climate. They are lovely to listen to, making a happy chirping sound.
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COMMENT 388909P
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2013-03-23 11:37 PM |
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830: The Chumash had Nutmeg mannikins back then? Personally, I abhor keeping birds in cages. Chickens and ducks, if you have them as pets and need to protect them at night, all right. But parrots, parakeets, cockatiels, etc . . . NO. Bad and cruel.
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COMMENT 388920
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2013-03-24 06:15 AM |
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Why are we allowing these invaders to upset the ecosystem? Shouldn't someone be doing a study on the impacts before we turn our backs?
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DULCE
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2013-03-24 06:27 AM |
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From Dulce, the poster. Thank you all for appreciating these special creatures. 4 to 6 of them started using our feeder about 4 years ago. They did fine with the Finches and House Sparrows and each year they have almost doubled their number. They have an identifiable sweet chirp and will stand next to or on top of each other to feed seeming comfortable with sharing or just hungry.
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COMMENT 388933
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2013-03-24 06:49 AM |
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I have seen them at more mesa this winter, in the willows.
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COMMENT 389005
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2013-03-24 11:26 AM |
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Not allowing them? That bird has already flown the coop; that horse is already out of the barn; the floodgates have opened.
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COMMENT 389112P
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2013-03-24 06:30 PM |
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Ther has been a population of these beautiful little birds in Hope Ranch for over 8 years. I spotted 5 of them at my finch feeders last fall in western Carpinteria. They were only here a few days before they moved on to who knows where.
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COMMENT 389122
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2013-03-24 06:49 PM |
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We get between 20 and 30 spice finches a day at our feeders (behind Earl Warren), and they're here most of the year. They roost and mingle happily with the white-crowned sparrows and house finches.
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COMMENT 389285
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2013-03-25 09:09 AM |
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Correction: They roost and mingle happily with the white-crowned sparrows and *house sparrows.* They have the greatest little song: "mneep mneep."
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COMMENT 389842P
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2013-03-26 03:59 PM |
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Boy, 285, if you have lots of White-crowned sparrows, cherish them. Their numbers are dwindling.
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