Unfamiliar bird in our yard this morning (birds, robin, robins)

[Yeledaf]

A group of unknown (to us) birds visited our backyard this morning.

I didn't get a photo, but here's an eyewitness description:

Neutral coloring, almost sparrow-like, with some white feather tips showing in the underside of the tail. Long, pointed beaks. They pecked at the ground constantly, almost like flickers, and were very aggressive and territorial with each other. I thought they might be mockingbirds, but they lacked the long tail.

We live in the inland Northwest, and start getting migrants about this time of year, but we had never seen these guys until this morning.

Can anybody help us out?

[jackmichigan]

Were they perhaps shorebirds?

If you don't have access to a bird field guide, check out Cornell's site--

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/b...px?shape=38,15

You can search by shape of bird, name, etc. Particularly check out Mountain Plover.

[bornincali]

I bet they are fledglings of another species. I've double taked on baby robins numerous times, for example

[Yeledaf]

Thanks, jack and bornincall.

[Woodrow LI]

Quick question--What common bird are they close in size to?

The Location, size, Beak type and color are often sufficent information to at least narrow it dowm to 2 or 3 probables/

Based on the behavior I am guessing a variety of storm petral there are several varieties and do vary a little in color--Check these pictures

https://www.google.com/search?q=stor...w=1920&bih=920

[Yeledaf]

I appreciate the suggestions, but we live too far inland for those seabirds. We're right near the Idaho panhandle -- lots of ponderosa pines, etc.

[LIcenter]

Sounds like something in the Wren family. What you describe sounds like a Carolina wren, but you are too far west to have those. Here's a list of other wrens you might wanna look at.

Winter Wren
Bewick's Wren
Marsh Wren
Sedge Wren
Cactus Wren
Rock Wren
Canyon Wren
House Wren

[Woodrow LI]

Originally Posted by Yeledaf

I appreciate the suggestions, but we live too far inland for those seabirds. We're right near the Idaho panhandle -- lots of ponderosa pines, etc.

I do not know if one can get far enough inland inland to escape shore birds. Up here in ND the point in the USA furthest from any ocean. Seagulls, pelicans, cormorants and other seabirds are very common