# What bird did I see?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bird-did-i-see/448667
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 9, 2008, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bird-did-i-see/448667 "2008-05-09T05:15:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2008, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bird-did-i-see/448667/1 "2008-05-09T05:15:50Z")

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Oregon, valley floor, looked like a goldfinch but had a red-pink head. Any ideas?

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### Author: ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2008, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bird-did-i-see/448667/2 "2008-05-09T05:23:27Z")

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[House finch](http://www.paulnoll.com/Oregon/Birds/Likely/likely-Finch-House.html) or [purple finch?](http://www.paulnoll.com/Oregon/Birds/Likely/likely-Finch-Purple.html)

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### Author: ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2008, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bird-did-i-see/448667/3 "2008-05-09T05:32:17Z")

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Here’s the [Cassin’s finch,](http://www.paulnoll.com/Oregon/Birds/Likely/likely-Finch-Cassins.html) too.

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### Author: ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2008, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bird-did-i-see/448667/4 "2008-05-09T05:38:20Z")

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Alas, no. Bright yellow body, black wings with some white (hard to see at the distance) and a red head.

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### Author: ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2008, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bird-did-i-see/448667/5 "2008-05-09T05:47:16Z")

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Ahhh, now I think I have the culprit! The male [western tanager!](http://www.flickr.com/photos/54109306@N00/173597824/)

[Here’s](http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/bird_details.aspx?id=402) some more about them.

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### Author: ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2008, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bird-did-i-see/448667/6 "2008-05-09T05:49:46Z")

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Right you are! Thanks!

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### Author: ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2008, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bird-did-i-see/448667/7 "2008-05-09T05:54:54Z")

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You’re welcome. I once got to see a flock of them frolicking about in a holly bush. Being that I was just a few miles from downtown Seattle, it was quite a treat.