# Can you help me ID a bird based on a really vague description? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 14, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-help-me-id-a-bird-based-on-a-really-vague-description/408046 "2007-06-14T21:04:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-help-me-id-a-bird-based-on-a-really-vague-description/408046/1 "2007-06-14T21:04:33Z")
We only saw it for a few seconds, from the back. It was a finch- or sparrow-sized bird that appeared to have a bluish-grey back. It was accompanied by another bird, similarly sized, that was sparrow-ish in its appearance (mottled brown / whitish back). FWIW, we live in Indianapolis, IN. If I see it again, I’ll try to get a better look or even take a picture. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2007, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-help-me-id-a-bird-based-on-a-really-vague-description/408046/2 "2007-06-14T21:29:34Z")
My first guess on the first one would be [Dark-eyed Junco.](http://www.dpughphoto.com/images/dark-eyed%20junco%20craggy%20gardens%2072003.jpg) It’s not going to be possible to confirm it without a more detailed description. The second is impossible even to guess, aside from the fact that it might be a sparrow. ---
**Author:** ![Beaucarnea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c0e974/32.png) [@Beaucarnea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beaucarnea)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2007, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-help-me-id-a-bird-based-on-a-really-vague-description/408046/3 "2007-06-14T21:33:15Z")
The [white crowned sparrow](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=white+crowned+sparrow&gbv=2) is has some gray features- ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2007, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-help-me-id-a-bird-based-on-a-really-vague-description/408046/4 "2007-06-14T21:51:11Z")
[QUOTE=Colibri] My first guess on the first one would be [Dark-eyed Junco.](http://www.dpughphoto.com/images/dark-eyed%20junco%20craggy%20gardens%2072003.jpg) It’s not going to be possible to confirm it without a more detailed description. The second is impossible even to guess, aside from the fact that it might be a sparrow. [/QUOTE] How big does a junco usually get? This one was fairly small. My husband thinks it might have been an indigo bunting, but it wasn’t that bright of a blue, and it certainly wasn’t big enough to be a grosbeak. But it did seem bluer than that junco photo. I’ll keep my eye out. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2007, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-help-me-id-a-bird-based-on-a-really-vague-description/408046/5 "2007-06-14T22:05:57Z")
Juncos are pretty small, substantially smaller than a House Sparrow. However, Indianapolis is a little far south for them in midsummer. Male Indigo Buntings are pretty bright blue (not really blue-gray) while females are brownish.