bird identification help please

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princess peach
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bird identification help please

Postby princess peach » Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:15 pm

O.K-hubby has been working up the rock(Gib)today,and has seen the most unusual bird(not the human variety-although there are quite unusual females in Gib :shock: )

O.K-he said this bird had a red face,black and white stripes down its back and wings (like a zebra crossing)a curved long beak,and had a red mohawk-which when he went near it,it put up.
at a glance he thought it was a woodpecker-but then realised it wasnt..

If anyone can look in their bird books would appreciate any pics or names as to what it could be...
Thanks.

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rafiki
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Postby rafiki » Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:51 pm

Brian.

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ken2
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Postby ken2 » Tue Mar 04, 2008 9:11 pm

Image

Image

Hoopoe

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princess peach
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Postby princess peach » Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:32 am

thanks for that..I will let him have a look at these pics when he gets home-
what a shame he didnt get near the nest..
Nesting hoopoes are capable of squirting fecal matter at intruders
:D :lol: :lol: :lol:

He said it had a red head-he must be colour blind..wait till i see him tonight. :wink:

thanks you two.xxx

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pwwm
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Postby pwwm » Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:57 am

Quite a few of those live in the rocks near me, splendid birds :)

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princess peach
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Postby princess peach » Wed Mar 05, 2008 1:14 pm

They are pwwm-absolutley stunning... :D

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Wicksey
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Postby Wicksey » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:18 pm

It's one of my favourite birds Peachey. There was one on the drive just the other day. They have a very distinctive call - poo-poo-poo is the nearest I can get (and no rude comments!) We heard the first one last week. I think it's the mating call as you really only hear it around springtime.

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princess peach
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Postby princess peach » Wed Mar 05, 2008 8:10 pm

well,i have just spoken to my hubby and he said the head was bright red...maybe he saw a male one??
i have never seen one,but they do look a bit woodpeckerish from the pics..they are beautiful.

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Postby Alan-LaCala » Thu Mar 06, 2008 10:00 am

As this one has been identified I don't feel that I am hijacking the thread.

There is a bird we have seen on a number of occasions up the Olive Grove where the goat and sheep herds visit.

It is very similar in shape to a Heron, but much smaller, about one third/one half the size. It is completely white and rides on the backs of the goats. There always seems to be about half a dozen of them, never just one.

Any ideas?

Alan
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El Cid
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Postby El Cid » Thu Mar 06, 2008 10:39 am


Alan-LaCala
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Postby Alan-LaCala » Thu Mar 06, 2008 10:42 am

Yep, that looks like it. Thanks.

Alan
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rafiki
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Postby rafiki » Thu Mar 06, 2008 1:42 pm

Certainly an egret but more likely a Cattle egret http://www.birdforum.net/opus/Cattle_Egret
rather than the Great egret which is larger and unlikely to sit on a goat's back.
Brian.

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ken2
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Postby ken2 » Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:47 pm

top of the class el cid and rafiki, common as sparrows down here on the costa del sol, the river beds are full of them, they just love to ride and feed off the cattle backs,

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Postby .:JONTY:. » Sat Mar 08, 2008 10:12 pm

Hi El Cid
They look like Egrets as well :wink:
Around here i've heard them called 'Tick Eaters'
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