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I saw a white-tailed balckbird in a flock of at least a hundred this morning, in Manahawkin, NJ. I’ve never seen it before, and have been looking for other references.
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How interesting. It must have stood out a lot. Were they flying or not.
The only references I can find are such things as a lack of good diet, old age, circulation problem and injury
Here is a link to some information
http://birdtablenews.com/2009/02/some-reasons-for-birds-with-white-feathers/
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So all in all it seems that seeing a blackbird with white feathers means that the bird is not in top condition.
Perhaps this is due to the changing environment that the birds have to live in.
Maybe it is a sign of the times - the food they eat is not ‘first class’ food.
But blackbirds with white feathers do stand out a lot.
I remember the first time I saw the white tailed blackbird in my garden. I started to look out for it and it was good to see it come back every day.
I haven’t seen it for ages now. A blackbird,s life is not a long one.
Below is the link to my new Bird Table News Forum. I have just started it so we can chat birds, bird care and bird feeding
Bird feeding and bird watching can be a solitary hobby so we can get together here – from all over the world and chat.
I have received comments from so many different areas.
It really is interesting, but also a little worrying as if a bird has white feathers there is usually is, or has been something the matter with the bird..
here are some of the sightings from different parts of the USA -
J from Manahawkin, JN
“I have a common crackle with white tail feathers at my feeder right now. I’ve also spotted a common grackle with white tail feathers and a white band around the neck!”
W from Alvin, Tx,
I live in Alvin Tx and have seen a black bird inback yard every day with 2 white tail feathers. I am 59 and this is my first”
F from Area not known
On May 4th, 2009 at approximately 4:15 PM
To all who have seen the Whitetailed Blackbird, he/she. . My wife told me of seeing the bird in our small maple tree recently. Yesterday, while I sat looking through the websites for blackbirds with white tails, Carolyn, my wife, softly spoke my name several times. I got up and went to the front door and Carolyn said for me to look in the top of the tree. Excitely, I turned and made for the camera. I shot ten photos and all but one took well enough to show the white tail feather and several profiles appear to indicate it is a blackbird, i.e., head and beak shape and body color. It seemed excited that I wanted to take it’s picture and so it did several poses; opened it’s wings and changed from front to rear views allowing for great photos of the single cented white tail feather. This is the first of this breed I have seen in the south east or south west or mid west.
Mary – Williamsburg
I saw a white tailed blackbird at my feeders today. It also had a white area on the back of the neck. I live in Williamsburg va
David, Lascassas Tn
Wife called me to window. We watched birds at feeders. Interesting there was a blackbird with one white feather among allthe other black birds. I am 61 and have never seen one.
H, Willoughby Ohio (NE of Cleveland)
18 April 2009
I just saw a blackbird with a white tail. Down the centre was a narrow line of black but the rest of the tail was white. The bird was the size of a grackle
S from East Central Iowa,
We live in East Central Iowa. I have seen, in the past couple warm seasons, a similar bird. The one here seems to similar in size to a grackle. It also has the iredescent colors and black, but the tail feathers are completely white.
I have been trying to photograph it but it disappears like a ghost. There is usually only one and it only appears in spring and summer. Must be a smart bird! Just saw it today 4/22/09 and am actively watching for it. We do have a wetland not more than 100 yards from our home, city habitat and farmland everywhere. It get good photos I will try to post them somewhere.
A -
I have seen a black bird with white tailfeathers in my backyard – noticed it about 3 weeks ago – thought at first someone had glued a white tongue-depressor or something to his tail, but no, his tailfeathers are long and white – saw him take off a short while ago and amp; he spread his tail feathers – definitely feathers. Went through my bird book and came up zip?????
B from Maryland
My dad saw a black bird with white tail feathers at his feeder. He has never seen it before and it has not come back yet. He lives in southern Maryland
H -
I’ve noticed a medium sized black coloured bird witha single white tail feather in my back garden. The tail feather seems to be completely white both from the top and the bottom. It has been around a few times this spring. I also noticed it last spring but never see it in the summer, fall or winter. Any idea what it is?
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I think the bottom two notes are a little worrying as they imply that seeing a white tailed blackbird is something new. White feathers could be a sign that birds are lacking in bird vitamins.
I wonder if lack of good quality food is one of the reasons.
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If you would like to chat about it and other things in my new birdtable news forum please click the link below. Don’t expect thousands of people. It’s quality not quantity! I’ve just started it so no- one knows about it yet! Be one of the first to give it a try. What have you to lose.
White tailed blackbird – a photograph
Have you seen a white feathered blackbird like this?
Have you seen a white feathered bird like this
A lot of people are telling me they have seen white feathered blackbirds and I wondered if they were like this bird.
The white feather could be “leucism” or partial albinism, This is a condition where single feathers or patches of feathers are lacking their normal pigment.
It has been connected with lack of correct food. I wondered if this was connected with climate change or with lack of habitat.
In the meantime -
It seems , whatever the reason, there is something wrong for a blackbird to have any white feathers. I will see what else I can find out.
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White tailed black bird in the USA - we’d love some help identifying this bird
I’ve been sent some photos of a black bird that has a white tail. We really want to see what bird it is. Can anyone help
Below are the photos that were sent from the USA (thanks for sending them Angie)
bird i.d. needed
Black bird with a white tail
Is this a young bird
Angie says - I wasn’t going to send one of them , because this bird doesn’t stand still and the quality is worse than the others, however, I think that is actually has some white on the left side of it. Interesting bird. I can’t find anything on the internet other than your website on them. thanks so much!
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I aren’t an expert on identifying birds, but I wondered if this was a young American Crow or a young American Rook.
I’ve put two links below so you can take a look. The Crows and Rooks in the photos below are adult birds – so we’ll have to imagine a younger version.
We still need help identifying it. I’m going to take a look at some more books. Hope we get there in the end.
Click here to see why the bird may have white tail feathers
The investigation has started. All we need now is Sherlock Holmes!
This past week I have had the fun of watching, what to me looks like a black bird with a long white tail.
I did get a few photo’s of it, I hope to get more tomorrow that are clearer. What a neat bird to see!
I live south of mason city, Iowa. Is there any way for me to post a photo?-0-0-0-0-0-
I received the above comment, have been in touch and am looking forward to receiving a photo
I haven’t seen a white tailed blackbird in our garden for ages.
Fleetingly, a while ago I saw two white tailed blackbirds in our garden at the same time.
Every other time there has only been one.
They stood out from the rest and were instantly noticeable. I miss seeing them among the other blackbirds.
Don’t know what has happened to them. I suppose I never will know. Perhaps tomorrow because I have written this they will appear in the garden.
Or maybe the sparrowhawk has got them.
Funnily enough I saw a blackbird with white feathers on its wing a few days ago. It was hopping about on the grass verge and I could clearly see it was a blackbird. It had about three really white feathers showing on it’s back.
I was the passenger in a car and we were travelling very slowly so I got a clear view of it as birds ignore cars. Sadly, I did not have my camera with me.
So it seems white feathered blackbirds are around to stay.
I’ve noticed a medium sized black colored bird with a single white tail feather in my back garden. The tail feather seems to be completely white both from the top and the bottom. It has been around a few times this spring, I also noticed it last spring but never see it in the summer, fall or winter. Any idea what it is?
Heather, does it have a yellow beak? Blackbirds in England have yellow beaks
Can anyone help.
Another white tailed blackbird in the USA. Isn’t it interesting?
I have not had an internet connection for a few days and it has got me thinking about how we take the internet for granted and how it does make the world seem smaller
Here is the note I received
i saw a white tailed blackbird at my feeders today. it also had a white area on the back of the neck. i live in williamsburg va
I wonder if this is something new. I know in England we don’t seem to get many. That is why when I saw one I was surprised and started to look into it.
I haven’t seen my white tailed blackbird for ages. It could be the end of my white tailed blackbird story, but hope to hear from others around the world.
I keep looking out for the white tailed blackbird. He looked healthy last time I saw him.
Jan and I have been trying to identify a bird she has seen in North Carolina. Can you help she says -
I’ve looked at a lot of pictures of sparrows and warbles; the body type seems right but none have a body as dark as the one of my deck.
Please read what she says below and get your thinking hat on!
From Jan -
Since posting my comment I’ve done a little research on the internet and found that several small birds have white outer tail feathers, including the vesper sparrow and some warbles.
I’ve looked at a lot of pictures of sparrows and warbles; the body type seems right but none have a body as dark as the one of my deck.
I realize the time of year as well as age and sex of the bird may determine feather color, so this identification is turning out to be complex.
Think the bird has come back to my deck a few times today but I have only caught fleeting glances. Usually I only have a bird bath available but for the last three days have put out a bird feeding mix of seeds.
Got the seeds from two young girls who went door to door in our neighbor (under their grandmother’s supervision) giving out the mix when we had an unusual snow of about 3 inches (7.6cm) the other day. Great activity for children, don’t you think? This little bird seems to like the mix.
BTW, forgot to say that NC stands for North Carolina which is a state on the east coast of the United States of America
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I have had a look on the internet, but it’s hard for me as I’m in England.
I have only been to the USA once. It was the trip of a lifetime. I visited North Carolina and Florida. In North Carolina we went to stop with my friend’s pen pal who lived in Elk Park. It was wonderful to stop with a family and see that part of America.
Hope we can all get together with bird identification and help sort this puzzle out.