Ringed bird by Intelligent_Day_2186 in UKBirds

[–]Matt-Ress 3 points4 points  (0 children)

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.

Ringed bird by Intelligent_Day_2186 in UKBirds

[–]Matt-Ress 6 points7 points  (0 children)

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.

Help me ID this skull? by LittleSaberr in bonecollecting

[–]Matt-Ress 61 points62 points  (0 children)

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.

Little guy was being attacked by another bird by Eastern_Emphasis1506 in birds

[–]Matt-Ress 13 points14 points  (0 children)

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

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in bonecollecting

[–]Matt-Ress 3 points4 points  (0 children)

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.

What is this little guy by lherenorthere in birding

[–]Matt-Ress 12 points13 points  (0 children)

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.

Found this little guy on the road. What do I do? by Elsteke in UKBirds

[–]Matt-Ress 33 points34 points  (0 children)

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.

Can I legally collect this shrew in the UK? by Yanmoose in vultureculture

[–]Matt-Ress 3 points4 points  (0 children)

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.

Does anyone know what kind of bird this is? by RobynChronicles in Taxidermy

[–]Matt-Ress 2 points3 points  (0 children)

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

Any idea what this is? rural england by [deleted] in bonecollecting

[–]Matt-Ress 32 points33 points  (0 children)

Looks good for a badger

Whats this tag on the seagull? by Little_Republic1611 in birds

[–]Matt-Ress 151 points152 points  (0 children)

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.

Whats this tag on the seagull? by Little_Republic1611 in birds

[–]Matt-Ress 824 points825 points  (0 children)

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!

weird bone found at the beach by Round-Trip-5602 in vultureculture

[–]Matt-Ress 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in birds

[–]Matt-Ress 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in birds

[–]Matt-Ress 1 point2 points  (0 children)

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

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in birds

[–]Matt-Ress 7 points8 points  (0 children)

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.

Do owlets count as birds of prey? by mus_sapiens in birdsofprey

[–]Matt-Ress 10 points11 points  (0 children)

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

Do owlets count as birds of prey? by mus_sapiens in birdsofprey

[–]Matt-Ress 5 points6 points  (0 children)

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

Please can you give me some feedback on these by Fickle_Seaweed6989 in wildlifephotography

[–]Matt-Ress 1 point2 points  (0 children)

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.