This is a picture that I found on the internet of a female Cowbird. I checked yesterday to see pictures of a female and they didn't look at all like the bird we saw, but this one looks quite similar. Barbee...I think you might have guessed it. I think our mystery is solved. Now, why are there always two of them? Is that fellow Cowbird a philanderer?
Here's the post from yesterday....I added to it this morning. Read above..
Can anyone identify this bird? A pair of them...or two of the same sex...have been visiting our feeders for the past couple of days.
The pictures are the best I can do. You can see a ring of lighter feathers around the bird's neck.
The bird comes at about the same time as the cowbird. Also with blackbirds and sparrows. The bird eats voraciously...not very frightened by humans. I kept getting closer and the bird kept eating.
If you know what it is...let me know. I will probably be embarrassed if it's just a common bird. I should know this one...I'm afraid. I have searched my bird books and really can't find one that looks like this one.
Balisha