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Please identify this little guy...
- Thread starter flycaster
- Start date
ootanaboot
Well-Known Member
Could it be a juvenile Little Grebe?
Blufftonian
Well-Known Member
Not in Florida!
I think it's a juvenile clapper rail. Their colours can vary a bit from cinnamon to grey.
Surely the Clapper Rail bill would be longer than this even if it is a juvenile (well assuming the bill is not partly under the water)? Also the way the feathers sweep up and around from the flanks does not look very rail like, more grebe like. I was wondering if it could be a juvenile Pied Billed Grebe that has just lost the stripes on the head and neck.
Does the OP have another picture with the head/bill more side on?
Does the OP have another picture with the head/bill more side on?
raythentic
Well-Known Member
Considering its beak I'd also keep it for a species of Coot. There exists some Coot hybrids as well btw.
Blufftonian
Well-Known Member
You make good points but pied-bills have very short and stubby bills. And I've never seen one with any red in the bill.
It is a bit of a puzzle and more photos would definitely help. I might go with juvenile horned grebe if I could see a red eye.
It is a bit of a puzzle and more photos would definitely help. I might go with juvenile horned grebe if I could see a red eye.
That's a shame. I always think it is best to take a burst even of stationary birds in case the bird twitches its head or blinks as you press the shutter. It's not costing film or processing anymore!
If this picture is correctly identified it looks like Pied Bills have red bills early on but then so do Earred Grebes, I note.
It seems views of the bill from above are rather rare but I found these two with Google images. Although the bill looks short and stubby from the side the deep section emphasises this and viewed from above it may look quite narrow, especially as part of the base may be out of sight beneath the feathers in front of the eye.
From this distribution map is correct, Eared Grebe would only be in the north of Florida and only as a winter visitor so I resume you would not be likely to see a juvenile though the bill does look thinner.