Is this a dead pigeon? *picture*

[malta blue]

I opened the front door (we never use it) and found this :cry:





Little MB and I gathered him up and laid him to rest out back near Kobe cat.... :(

[Shakespeare]

1. Definitely not a pigeon, but I'm not sure what it is.

Maybe Xema will see this thread and chime in...

[XemaSab]

22. .

:thumbsup:

[SallyMander]

2. Not a pigeon

How big is it?

[malta blue]

5. don't laugh - pigeon sized - ergo my question....

We have robins and cardinal (I can pick those two out) and other species all nesting in the pine trees in front of the house.

[SallyMander]

7. Could be a kestrel as JGD said below

Do you remember if it had that "hawkish" hooked beak?

[XemaSab]

23. You can see the beak in the picture and it's all wrong

The wings are too short too...

[skygazer]

3. Not a pigeon

Not sure what it is but not a pigeon. Pretty, though. Poor thing. :(

[BeachBaby]

4. Hey Malta!

I think it's a kestrel, from what I can see of your picture, although it's hard to tell without seeing the front:

[malta blue]

9. I got these other pics...

[Tuesday Afternoon]

15. off topic --

OMG !! tell little MB that I LOVE her sandals :loveya:

[malta blue]

16. LOL

I will give her the message...

Her wardrobe today would make you think it is *hot* out there - the current temp is 50 degrees.:rofl:

[quadriga]

28. You can really tell in this picture that it's a Ruffed Grouse

The top one. You can see it's crest, Both on the bird and in the shadow.

[DemoTex]

6. It is grouse-like ..

Hazel grouse

[Muttocracy]

27. yeah, I'm thinking ruffed grouse nt

[BeachBaby]

8. One more pic for ya....

[malta blue]

11. I am thinking you may be right JGD.

[DS1]

10. No, he's restin

sorry, somoene had to Python this thread

[quip]

13. Yes, he's just tired and shagged out after a long squawk.

Beautiful plumage!

[malta blue]

18. He was a pretty bird.

:cry:

[BeachBaby]

12. One more, this one clinches it for me size-wise....

[DemoTex]

14. Totally different tail-feather arrangement.

The dead bird has rounded tail feathers.

[malta blue]

17. You are right

Edit: hit post before I was ready.... :blush:

Size-wise it is on, but the tail feathers are very different.

[quadriga]

19. Ruffed Grouse

[jpak]

21. Yup - def

n/t

[XemaSab]

24. That's the one

For a few minutes I considered nightjars, but the wings and size of the head are ALL wrong, as is the black band on the tail. The lower pictures of the dead bird clinch it.

[quadriga]

26. You and me both

I thought nightjar or whip-poor-will too and I also thought possibly a woodcock with it's long beak hidden by the body.

[XemaSab]

20. Looks like a ruffed grouse

Good find!

[marzipanni]

25. I'm agreeing with DemoTex, it's a grouse

I looked up grouse and kestrels in my bird book, and the beak (upper tip isn't hook-like) and markings (white stripe on wing, black band at tip of tail)of your specimen look more like a female ruffed grouse; also the head is relatively small, whereas kestrels have proportionally larger eyes/larger heads.
If it has white and black bars on sides below wings that would be another grouse marking.
Ruffed grouse tail-

[malta blue]

29. Thanks for all your help DUers...

I must admit to my ignorance - being originally from NYC, I truly view all birds as pigeons... :shrug:

I wonder what happpened to the poor thing and why he was on my front doorstep.