Saturday, September 13, 2008

A Morbid Quiz Bird

Things have been crazy busy, but I stopped on my way home when I found a bird I didn't recognize. Like many car-spotted birds, it was on an overhead wire, unlike many birds on a wire, it was hanging upside down.


Only once have I seen a bird in this position before, a Great Egret in Louisiana that had apparently been electrocuted. The muscles had clenched, the foot unable to release. In its state it, obviously, couldn't consciously let go. Who knows how long it hung there before someone removed it - it was hanging near the entrance of the Sabine NWR, probably not the first thing you want your visitors to see.

Any guesses on the identification of this one?

3 comments:

Nate said...

Blue Jay?

The white tips on the feathers look good for it.

The Zen Birdfeeder said...

Wow, amazing stuff. Thanks for sharing.

noflickster said...

I gave the answer in a follow-up post (n8 nailed it), but here's a follow-up on the status: it's still hanging there! It's been over a week; I wonder how long it can last?
-Mike

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