# Help me ID this bird
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-bird/171909
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 29, 2003, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-bird/171909 "2003-04-29T14:02:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2003, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-bird/171909/1 "2003-04-29T14:02:33Z")
I’ve just started feeding the birds around my house and I have one that comes around that I do not know what it is. I bought a book last night that was supposed to have every bird in North America, but didn’t find it.
Here’s all I can remember about the bird. It is a light blue, orange beak that is straight and a bit longer then a robin. The size is about the same as a Blue Jay, which I know it’s not, or Cardinal. It seems to like to feed on the ground, but I have not seen it on the feeder. The closest shaped bird I saw in the book was for a dove, the beak is about that size and shape as well.
I live in Maryland, in a suburb. I have just been feeding the birds a general wild bird seed mix. I have also noticed that while I couldn’t pick it up, this bird doesn’t fly away when I open the door or am walking around out side.
I hope someone can help me as I’ve been wondering about this bird for a few weeks now and I haven’t seen any pictures on the net either.
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### Author:  [@Friday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Friday)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2003, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-bird/171909/2 "2003-04-29T14:38:57Z")
Could it be a [blue grosbeak](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=blue+grosbeak)?
If not, is it blue all over, or is there any other coloring (besides the beak)?
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### Author:  [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-bird/171909/3 "2003-04-29T14:54:17Z")
No that’s not it. It’s a much lighter blue then that. It might even be a greyish blue. There are no other markings except one which was a dot, but for the life of me I don’t remember where, maybe the back of the head but I’m probably wrong as I haven’t seen it in a few days.
I just looked again and it looked more like this [bird here](http://www.andy.mabbett.care4free.net/birds1/DSCF0007z.jpg) except it was more blue and had an orange beak.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-bird/171909/4 "2003-04-29T14:54:42Z")
Bit of a stumper. Offhand, I can’t think of any North American bird that fits the description well. The tame behavior may indicate it is an escaped captive exotic.
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### Author:  [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-bird/171909/5 "2003-04-29T16:25:52Z")
My guess too, Colibri: no NA bird comes to mind, unless he’s very nearly describing a Mourning Dove (black dot back of head?). Could be an escaped Quaker Parakeet? cept no green mentioned . . .
Take a pic, EdHead, and post it somewheres.
And, um, if it looks like the linked pic above, and it’s not afraid of you, any chance it’s a garden variety pigeon? They have reddish flesh on their beaks (forget the term for that little pigeony bump) and are varied enough in their appearance that you might see one that’s gray-blueish, what with the iridescence and all.
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### Author:  [@Odieman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odieman)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2003, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-bird/171909/6 "2003-04-29T16:45:18Z")
The only possibility that would be close would be an extremely out of range Band-Tailed Pigeon, but I am reasonably sure that it probably isn’t that…I would go with some sort of feral bird, but pictures would definitely make it a cinch to identify
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### Author:  [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2003, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-bird/171909/7 "2003-04-29T17:05:42Z")
Rock Doves (aka pigeons) are highly variable in their coloring and could appear blueish. It’s common that they feed on the ground and are not especially shy of people. But I don’t think their bills appear orange.
Have you seen more than one of these?
Try to get a photo.
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### Author:  [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2003, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-id-this-bird/171909/8 "2003-04-29T17:12:34Z")
I wish I could take a picture. Well I can but I am leaving the country next week for a couple of weeks so even if I did get a picture now I could not have it developed I come back.
Hopefully I can see it again tonight and get a better look at it. If not then I will try and get a picture.
Lissener, it’s not a parakeet, but closer to the dove or pigeon. Thanks for the help so far.