Ornithologists? ID please!

[Bruce Darrow]

Help me out here. This bird showed up on my driveway a while back - never seen his like before. The attached photos are not great - I was shooting through the window glass, but he was a large bird, perhaps the size of a common city pigeon, perhaps a bit larger. Smaller than a grouse. He was pecking around where a large eastern white pine had fallen some time previous, so presumably was foraging for pine nuts. The second flash sent him flying, which I didn't see, so I can't describe his flight habits, and I haven't seen him or his like since. His general movements on the ground invoked "pigeon", but the pigeon illustrations in an Audubon weren't much help. My location is south central Vermont, the timing was perhaps a month ago, just following our first significant snowfall.

My fantasy is that I have photographic evidence of a surviving passenger pigeon - LOL

What say you?
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[Belinda Barfield]

Not an ornithologist, just interested. Sort of looks like a Ruddy Ground Dove, but way out of it's territory if so. Scroll down to the photo mid page.

http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/892/overview/Ruddy_Ground-Dove.aspx

[Dan Hintz]

Definitely a dove, from the looks of it. Belinda's suggestion of a Ruddy seems to fit from the overall markings... but this guy doesn't seem to have nearly as much gray on his head as I would expect, and the black ticks on his wings aren't very heavy, either. I would put Ruddy in the front pocket, but keep looking for another (better) option, if it bugs you enough. Search it on Google images and you'll see what I mean.

[Conrad Fiore]

It's a Mourning Dove. Very common.

[Belinda Barfield]

Definitely a dove, from the looks of it. Belinda's suggestion of a Ruddy seems to fit from the overall markings... but this guy doesn't seem to have nearly as much gray on his head as I would expect, and the black ticks on his wings aren't very heavy, either. I would put Ruddy in the front pocket, but keep looking for another (better) option, if it bugs you enough. Search it on Google images and you'll see what I mean.

Dan, I was thinking possibly it's a female, just forgot to mention it.

[Belinda Barfield]

It's a Mourning Dove. Very common.

Gotta' disagree as the overall coloring is not the same and the tail feathers are too dark. It's very common for me to be wrong though. :)

[Paul Saffold]

One thing to consider is that birds are often swept out of their normal range by weather events. Northeast US bird watchers are often given a treat of unusual tropical and southern birds swept up by hurricanes or a nor'easter.

[Conrad Fiore]

The Mourning Dove is the only North American species with a long pointed tail. Also note the eye ring and black spot pattern on the upper coverts and secondaries. Dark wing primaries.

[Brian Tymchak]

+1. definitely a mourning dove. compare to pictures in this page (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mourning_dove/id). I've read that the males have some pinkish color on their neck but I've never been able to tell the difference between male and female. I've almost always seen doves in pairs.

[Al Wasser]

the mourning doves here do not look like that. The headed south in early Sept. If is a mourning dove the wings whistle when it flies.

[Bruce Darrow]

Hey folks, thanks for the replies. I think I can say with assurance that it's not a mourning dove. As stated they're quite common. I see them a lot around here, and as noted, usually in pairs. The damned things are too frequently seemingly suicidal, waiting till the last moment when you are bearing down on them in an automobile......

This bird was considerably larger, and "chunkier". I remember the overall impression of grey coloration, but the digitally enhanced and cropped photos posted are definitely brownish. I watched it for maybe 10 minutes while eating my breakfast that morning before I remembered I now own a digital camera, and seeing as how this was definitely a "rara avis" for me, and presumably for this area, I decided to document and research. I haven't found a book of photographs, just illustrations, which aren't much help. As a dial-up orphan, any photo searches on line are tedious, but with the links provided, I'll give it a go.

I'll check out the links provided later this PM, if I've got time - socializing tonite, doncha know. I'll post if I think I've found a match. Any other links to follow would be appreciated.

[Rick Moyer]

Dan, I was thinking possibly it's a female, just forgot to mention it.
I don't think it's a female cuz it's beak is shut!

Sorry I couldn't resist.:D

[Bill Cunningham]

I don't think it's a female cuz it's beak is shut!

Sorry I couldn't resist.:D

Wow!! You like Livin on the edge don't you..hahaha

[Belinda Barfield]

I don't think it's a female cuz it's beak is shut!

Sorry I couldn't resist.:D

That's because her mama raised her to be a lady and taught her "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all". :p:D

[Dan Hintz]

I don't think it's a female cuz it's beak is shut!
That just means she's trying to figure out a way to kill you in your sleep without getting blood on the comforter :p

[Bill Cunningham]

Yup...http://www.joebrower.com/PHILE_PILE/PIX/FUNNIES/female_seagull.gif

[Belinda Barfield]

Bill, Bill, Bill . . . I'm speechless!

[ray hampton]

do Belinda suffer from a toothache ?

[Bruce Darrow]

Wow, where this one went.....this from an accused (probably rightfully so.....) misogynist.

UNCLE!

According to all research I've been able to accomplish, this bird is probably just what most thought it was. Mourning dove. Maybe cold +/or sick, and therefore fluffed up. Ruddy ground dove blown north by Irene remains a possibility, but none of the birders out there are real enthusiastic about that scenario.

Thanks all for chipping in. Like the gulls.

[Conrad Fiore]

Bruce,
I showed the photos to a friend of mine who holds a PhD in ornithology and is the director of a local bird and raptor rehabilitation center. He too sees it definitely as a mourning dove because of the tail shape. The long pointed tail is a characteristic of only one North American species, the mourning dove.
We would all like to observe and document some animal species that is from some far off place and ends up in our backyard. Recently I was notified of the presence of a visitor to our area, a Snowy Owl. Now it’s not that unusual for a Snowy to show up in NJ in the dead of winter, forced down from the Artic in search of better feeding grounds. But this one has been here since at least Halloween. I was a little skeptical about the observation, so I took a ride and had a look for myself. Sure enough, the Snowy has been hanging around a local reservoir seemingly doing well and content. Attached is a photo I took.

[Belinda Barfield]

That's one beautiful bird!