Juvenile Red-browed Finch has a red rump. Young Mistletoebird maybe, that fits the description, other than size. They are noticeably smaller than sparrows (as are Red-browed Finch and all native finches).
Philip
From: Steve Read [
Sent: Saturday, 25 February, 2017 5:40 PM
To: 'Canberra Birds'
Subject: [canberrabirds] ID request re. small finch-like bird
This is one of the identification questions where a photograph (a record shot) would help…
Single, small (sparrow-sized), grey-brown bird in a planted casuarina next to Fassifern Pond, Dunlop, this morning. Grey-brown above, mid-grey underneath, unstreaked (no patterning), with a ‘suede’ brown head, black eye and short, stubby
black bill resembling the bill on a finch. The only specific feature was a fine pale yellow line running the short distance from behind the bill to the eye (would that be the gape?). Reasonable sighting (2-3 minutes, through foliage, in partial, shade, from
below) before it flew across to a neighbouring garden – flight was bouncy, with no obvious colour to the wings or rump. Juvenile Red-browed Finch crossed my mind, but I’m familiar with those and I don’t believe that’s what it was.
Any ideas? What have I missed? Do I put it down as an escapee finch, juvenile from dark bill?
Steve
