Can anyone Identify this Bird

[dinki]

My parents have noticed a bird in their garden in the West Midlands and have never seen it before, we have looked in our birdbook and cannot find it. It seems to be a ground feeder, is slightly larger than a black bird, mainly black but with a wide white collar, beak is yellow/orange, can anyone suggest any bird it could be.
Any help appreciated

[chaptazbru]

Could it be a blackbird with some white on it? Occasionally see blackbird's like this myself and once saw an all white one.

[LoftyLottie]

I think Chap is right. Take a look at this link

http://www.google.co....QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=599

Especially this one

http://www.rspb.org.u...902/p/5834/43090.aspx

[langara]

Can you get a photograph?

[Prudie]

Could it be a Ring Ouzel?
http://www.rspb.org.u.../ringouzel/index.aspx

[chaptazbru]

Great pics Lottie - spot on .....l

[rowanwitch]

ring ouzel

[rowanwitch]

where in the west midlands only I have never seen one

[LoftyLottie]

I think ring ouzels leave in the early autumn Prudie and are mainly in Scotland. However, one perhaps could have got lost!

[chaptazbru]

Ring ouzels are smaller than blackbirds, dinki says this one is bigger.

[LoftyLottie]

We had one with a pure white head for several years and then one morning I found his head amongst a pile of feathers in the garden - obviously the work of a sparrowhawk. It really upset me and I buried his head. He had fathered several broods.

[chaptazbru]

How sad Lottie. The all white one I saw once wasn't around for long, I'm sure it was a target for the other birds. I missed it.

[Prudie]

Well if we're being particular about size then it can't be a blackbird with the touch of albino either can it as it's too big!
The RSPB link shows Ring Ouzels quite well distributed in UK in Summer but agree it should be long gone by now. Just the colour description fits perfectly.

[chaptazbru]

Bloody 'ell Prudie, how childish was that outbusrt !!!! I was just stating what dinki said - GET A GRIP !!!!

[Prudie]

Bloody 'ell chaptazbru is that what you call a childish outburst? GET A GRIP -That's rudest thing anyone's ever said to me on here. Pot kettle.

[tonyav]

We used to get a Blackbird with some White on it come into our garden a few years ago, looked dead scruffy imo.

[ladybirder]

As someone who has walked miles into the middle of nowhere, somewhere in Teesdale to see Ring Ouzel in its natural habitat I would be well cheesed off that you saw one in your back garden. But it could well have been.
If you watch this BTO video it tells you which features to look out for that are found only on ROs and not on Blackbirds which should help a definitive identification.
http://www.bto.org/ab...g-ouzel-and-blackbird

[ruthandsam]

http://www.rspb.org.u...dlife/birdidentifier/

[dinki]

Thank you everyone, they live in Coventry, will show them the pictures when they visit Wednesday, think it could be a ring ouzel.

[dinki]

Thank you everyone, cannot give a best answer as you were all so helpful, my parents came to see me and confirmed it is a ring ouzel, they were thrilled, the bird is still feeding in the garden, so either he is enjoyed him/herself too much or is very lost and cannot migrate. Either way it will be well fed by my mum (everything is).