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Tachycineta bicolor
I believe this is a young Tree Swallow. There was a nearby nest box that was definitely inhabited by a Tree Swallow. There is color starting to form on the tail of this bird, but I'm sure it's a juvenile since it's still mostly grey and it wasn't flying away like it should...it just sort of moved over the closer I got to it.
Meyer Ranch Park, meadow area with nearby bird box
Spotted on Jun 17, 2012
Submitted on Jun 18, 2012
5 Comments
I think it looks more thrush-like than swallow-like. I also believe this is a Mountain Bluebird. It has long legs (swallows have pretty short legs), and doesn't have such a defined "cap" as a tree swallow, even a young tree swallow would.
Adam,the blue that I see here is typical of swallows.
Mountain Bluebird could be the other possibility. It's either bluebird or tree swallow. The coloring could be either one right now. I didn't think of it being a fledgling and that's why it's not flying away too well. It seemed a little large for a fledgling.
bluebird? I am not good at fledgling id. It does have a fair amount of blue beginning to show.
It also doesn't look as white through the neck area as other tree swallows i've seen