Alpine Bird?

Splintercat · Post by **Splintercat** » August 25th, 2014, 10:51 pm

Anyone recognize this bird? Didn't stumble across it in my bird books -- there were several at about the 7,000 foot level on Cooper Spur poking about on the ground, feeding. The moved around like sandpipers, and only few a few feet and low to the ground (though they preferred to run):

I'm curious if they're actually an alpine bird that lives at that elevation year-round, or just a summer visitor (like me)?

Tom

adamschneider · Post by **adamschneider** » August 25th, 2014, 11:03 pm

It's shaped and colored like some kind of plover, but according to the range maps in my bird books, no plovers live anywhere near the Cascades in the summer.

Killdeer live around here, but the color pattern isn't quite right. Unless it's a teenager or something, caught between juvenile and adult plumage? Nah... I just looked at a couple photos of killdeer I took this past spring, of an adult and a baby, and the pattern of black and white on the head isn't even close.

I'm stumped.

Splintercat · Post by **Splintercat** » August 25th, 2014, 11:26 pm

Thanks, Adam -- I am, too. Not sure if you can see it, but it has a speckled breast. It could just be fluffed up -- it was cool and breeze up there. But I do like the plover connection -- that's definitely how they were moving about.

Tom

Waffle Stomper · Post by **Waffle Stomper** » August 26th, 2014, 6:31 am

I'm leaning towards a Kildeer, but it doesn't look quite like it. Perhaps if you post it on Portland Audubon's FB page.

Splintercat · Post by **Splintercat** » August 26th, 2014, 8:14 am

Great idea, Waffle - just posted it there!

Tom

Waffle Stomper · Post by **Waffle Stomper** » August 26th, 2014, 8:59 am

It is a mystery to me, that's for certain.

kelkev · Post by **kelkev** » August 26th, 2014, 10:21 am

Could be a Horned Lark - ?

adamschneider · Post by **adamschneider** » August 26th, 2014, 10:35 am

kelkev is onto something... the black patterns totally look like those of a lark. (I flipped right past that section in my bird book because there were no horns!

)

Waffle Stomper · Post by **Waffle Stomper** » August 26th, 2014, 1:15 pm

I had thought about the lark too. But passed by for the same reason.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Horned_Lark/id

Waffle Stomper · Post by **Waffle Stomper** » August 26th, 2014, 1:20 pm

The more I look at it, I think that is it, a teenage horned lark.

Edit, a female horned lark just a little scruffy perhaps.

Other variations, http://www.birdfellow.com/birds/horned- ... tification

The juvenile doesn't yet quite have the band, here is an Oregon Juvenile in August, no breast band.

Oregon Hikers

Alpine Bird?

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