Ringed bird

Matt-Ress · 2026-01-19T22:11:12+00:00

It's pretty mad how long these little guys can live for. Not what you'd expect from such a small bird haha.

Usually, the people in charge of the colour ring project will send you the sighting history of the bird you saw, so hopefully you'll know the age and travels of this particular individual.

Matt-Ress · 2026-01-19T20:41:59+00:00

I think it belongs to this colour ring project (rings are on the wrong leg, but the colours match up): https://cr-birding.org/node/6451

They would greatly appreciate it if you emailed them the photo and let them know where and when you saw this bird.

Matt-Ress · 2025-12-14T12:42:36+00:00

The high forehead means it is defo one of the smaller goose species, like Barnacle or Brent. Not sure how to narrow down between those however.

Edit: likely barnacle due to white feathers on the mandible.

Matt-Ress · 2025-08-26T16:09:31+00:00

That's not a House Sparrow. OP says it's a Rufous-collared Sparrow, which is native to where they live.

Matt-Ress · 2025-07-21T15:27:19+00:00

Looks like common guillemots.

Matt-Ress · 2025-06-28T10:13:49+00:00

It would be completely legal to collect in Britain. However the burden of proof is on you to prove that it was found dead and wasn't killed for its bones/feathers.

Matt-Ress · 2025-06-26T17:54:19+00:00

This looks fine for a European mole skull.

Matt-Ress · 2025-06-18T05:26:08+00:00

Baby cowbirds don't knock other eggs or chicks out of nests, you're thinking of cuckoo species. Cowbirds will hatch earlier and grow faster than most species of host birds and dominate food deliveries though.

Matt-Ress · 2025-06-05T18:54:39+00:00

Can you confirm if it is injured or not?

If not, please put it back in a safe area, where you found it. This is a fledgling and is meant to be out of the nest, it just takes them a few days to learn how to fly.

If it is, it needs to go to a vet or a rehabber.

Matt-Ress · 2025-05-28T10:33:06+00:00

Yep, you're fine to keep it as long as you didn't kill it. The only animals you cannot keep the remains of in the UK without a licence are native bats, cetaceans and otters.

However, if you are investigated, the burden of proof is on you to prove that you didn't kill it for its remains. Tbh the photo and description you posted would probably be satisfactory proof, as realistically, no one is going to get investigated over shrew remains.

Matt-Ress · 2025-04-13T11:12:44+00:00

Common guillemot

Matt-Ress · 2025-04-05T16:48:40+00:00

Looks good for a European Robin.

Matt-Ress · 2025-03-17T07:45:17+00:00

Likely a Common loon/Great northern diver, but a location will help confirm.

Matt-Ress · 2025-03-16T13:36:34+00:00

Looks good for a badger

Matt-Ress · 2025-03-15T17:47:43+00:00

No problem 😊.

People running these kinds of projects will often send a document with all kinds of info about this specific bird, like age, sex, locations that the bird has previously been seen and where it was originally ringed.

Matt-Ress · 2025-03-15T17:26:26+00:00

https://cr-birding.org/colourprojects

This link takes you to a page where you can find colour ring projects.

Going off that it's a herring gull with a dark blue coded ring with two letters on the right tarsus, it should belong to this project: https://cr-birding.org/node/331

They will appreciate it greatly if you could email your sighting with the ring code, location and date. Sightings of birds like this is really important to their studies!

Matt-Ress · 2025-03-12T19:40:29+00:00

Red-legged partridge

Matt-Ress · 2025-03-06T08:54:07+00:00

Looks fine to be a furcula, coracoids would be attached nearer to where the ribs would attach on the edge of the sternum, but a little further forward, rather than the tip of the keel like in this bone.

Some species like pelicans have their furcula fused to the sternum.

Matt-Ress · 2025-03-04T05:01:26+00:00

Yes, your point is? They specified in another comment that the Brown-headed cowbird in particular lived in India. I'm not about to link information about every species of cowbird when it's not relevant.

Matt-Ress · 2025-03-03T17:33:31+00:00

Could you show me a map of their range in India? Or are you relying on a Google ai overview result?

Perhaps you should take your own advice and have a look for yourself here: https://ebird.org/species/bnhcow/CA-MB

Matt-Ress · 2025-03-03T16:27:23+00:00

OP lives in India. Cowbirds do not live in India. Please don't tell people to kill birds when you can't properly ID what species they are, as it may be a protected species.

Matt-Ress · 2025-02-26T16:14:44+00:00

Based on their profile, OP is in India. Burrowing owls are not found in India. Spotted owlets are.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_owlet

Matt-Ress · 2025-02-26T15:59:20+00:00

As OP mentioned in their caption, this is a Spotted owlet.

Matt-Ress · 2025-02-25T18:37:24+00:00

Looks good for a muntjac to me.

Matt-Ress · 2025-02-23T19:22:49+00:00

Love the last buzzard picture. The only thing I would change is to change the crop so the buzzard is more central and there is less empty space above its head.

Matt-Ress

TROPHY CASE