I'm fairly confident that your birds is of a common species but with a feather pigmentation issue (perhaps axanthism). Based on the structure of the bird, it's association with sparrows (House Sparrows?) and your mention of it size I was thinking House Sparrow but admittedly the pattern of darker feathering on the wings, tail and forecrown is reminiscent of a male American Goldfinch. The fact that you say it looks larger than the sparrows is puzzling. Much larger or only slightly? I suppose the pale plumage may exaggerate the size a tiny bit and they look rather shaggy especially those obscuring the dark wing, perhaps another aberration. Does it "cheep" like a sparrow?
Angus Wilson, NYC -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
