What is this bird?

[Terry57]

Anyone know what this is?
This is officially my new dream bird

 

[Birdman666]

I don't know but that is an amazing photograph!!!

 

[Mango121913]

Taiwan Blue Magpie.

 

[weco]

I don't know but that is an amazing photograph!!!

Hmmm, are you sure you're a Texan Birdman.....that bird's cousins are like fleas down your way ! ! !


))

 

[Birdman666]

[
Hmmm, are you sure you're a Texan Birdman.....that bird's cousins are like fleas down your way ! ! !

Well, around here it's nothing but Grackle's as far as the eyes can see...

I'm not a Texan. I'm a displaced Californian...

I don't think I will ever be mistaken for a Texan.

 

[RavensGryf]

Wow, that is really something! As Mango121913 said, I googled "Taiwan blue magpie" and yep that's what it is. The other pics show the wings not as curly... I wonder if it's photoshopped a little?

 

[thekarens]

[
Hmmm, are you sure you're a Texan Birdman.....that bird's cousins are like fleas down your way ! ! !

Well, around here it's nothing but Grackle's as far as the eyes can see...

I'm not a Texan. I'm a displaced Californian...

I don't think I will ever be mistaken for a Texan.

You understand you live in an area that is one of the only places in the US to see golden cheeked warbler and black capped vireos? I've done some of my best bird watching in the hill country.

 

[Birdman666]

Haven't seen any of those.

The occasional woodpecker, or cardinal. Mostly those big goofy black birds...

(I actually like them, they have a TON of personality.)

We do have one wild Perigrine Falcon in the area, and when ever he's around we stay inside. Oddly enough he lives by my daughter's school and their mascot is a FALCON...

 

[Birdman666]

[
Hmmm, are you sure you're a Texan Birdman.....that bird's cousins are like fleas down your way ! ! !

Well, around here it's nothing but Grackle's as far as the eyes can see...

I'm not a Texan. I'm a displaced Californian...

I don't think I will ever be mistaken for a Texan.

You understand you live in an area that is one of the only places in the US to see golden cheeked warbler and black capped vireos? I've done some of my best bird watching in the hill country.

Most of my bird watching is done in my living room...

 

[weco]

Well, around here it's nothing but Grackle's as far as the eyes can see...

I'm not a Texan. I'm a displaced Californian...

I don't think I will ever be mistaken for a Texan.

Maybe it was grackles...

I took basic in SA in the 60s.....I know there are magpies all over Houston...I've got a client there & we usually go down every three years & do an inside & out repaint of her house when she decides to redecorate.

She once told me that her husband wouldn't let her redecorate, so when he passed, before she sold her home here & moved back to Houston, she redecorated & when she bought her house there, she redecorated.....

 

[thekarens]

Well, around here it's nothing but Grackle's as far as the eyes can see...

I'm not a Texan. I'm a displaced Californian...

I don't think I will ever be mistaken for a Texan.

Maybe it was grackles...

I took basic in SA in the 60s.....I know there are magpies all over Houston...I've got a client there & we usually go down every three years & do an inside & out repaint of her house when she decides to redecorate.

She once told me that her husband wouldn't let her redecorate, so when he passed, before she sold her home here & moved back to Houston, she redecorated & when she bought her house there, she redecorated.....

There are no magpies in Texas. You have to go a little north, like Colorado and West. Maybe you are thinking of mockingbirds. We have a boatload of them.

 

[Birdman666]

Maybe it was grackles...

Those we have by the hundreds. In fact, the roost in the trees by the Valero Station, and the sound they make coming home at night is incredible! There must be around 200 birds in that flock alone... and there's a much larger flock over by Walmart.

They are such smart buggers, and they seem to have a very interesting flock structure, with a heirarchy of Supervisors, sentinels, and workers... it's quite fascinating to watch...

I had mine outside in the tree, when two of the workers were "slacking off" on the job. A HUGE male came in full on hackles up display and read them both the riot act, and flew off. The next thing I knew they were gathering all the food in sight! So, that was the boss...

There is another pair that works my neighbor's dog's food bowl. One bird gets the dog's attention sitting at one end of the fence. The other one hops down and takes kibble from the food bowl.

I watched one of the Walmart flock actually trigger the motion detector, fly into the store, and cruise up and down the pet food aisle until he saw the bentiful dog food bag (it had a picture of food on the label.) He then poked a hole in the back of the bag, and sat hidden on the back of the shelf, secretly eating his fill...

They are wicked smart!!!

 

[veimar]

Wow, I made a painting of this bird last year, but had no idea what it was. So beautiful bird.

 

[Anansi]

Anyone know what this is?
This is officially my new dream bird

Thank you for sharing this pic, Terr! That is one beautiful bird! He looks like he has two little arms holding out decorative fans in place of wings! Hahaha! I can see why this is now your dream bird!

And thanks, Mango121913, for the ID! Taiwan Blue Magpie. Got it!

 

[Allee]

I second that, Stephen! Thanks for posting a pic of your new fantasy bird, Terry.

Wow, I made a painting of this bird last year, but had no idea what it was. So beautiful bird.

viemar, we would love to see your painting!

 

[Terry57]

Taiwan Blue Magpie.

Thank you so much for identifying him

@ Julie - It may indeed be photoshopped a little, hard to tell

 

[Kiwibird]

Beautiful bird Terry! No clue what it is, but I'll believe the resident birdwatchers on here who think it's a Taiwan Blue Magpie