From: Bill S.
Date: Sun, 05 Mar 1995 10:06:52 -0500 (EST)
To: jmorton@mhs.mendocino.k12.ca.us
Subject: Re: blackbird feet

Hi, Naomi You ask a very interesting question. I hope I can help.

First of all, you are right in assuming that juvenile (baby) birds may have feet and legs which are a different color than the adults. If you look at North American birds as a group, you will find that many species have dark legs as juveniles (usually dark brown to gray to black) and the legs of the adults are somewhat lighter. Field guides rarely illustrate nestlings, however, so it requires direct observation to confirm this. There are many exceptions to this, however. Look at illustrations of immature Snowy Egret and you'll see that the feet and legs are even brighter than those of the adults.

Secondly, I'm not sure which species of "blackbird" you are referring to, but as far as the North American species go, I don't know of any who have yellow feet or legs as adults or juveniles. The most commmon black birds in your area would be ravens, crows, Brewer's Blackbird, and Red-winged Blackbird, all of whom have black legs and feet. If you are asking about some non- native species, I have no idea. There are over 9,000 species of birds in the world, and you can find almost any possible color combination if you look hard enough.

Hope this helps. Spring is on the way, and the Neotropical migrants will be moving north soon. Have you learned that many of the birds that you see in the summer spend the winter months in Mexico and Central America?

Ask your teacher if she can find a copy of the latest issue of "Wild Bird" magazine (March 95). It has a series of articles that I know your class would find very interesting.

Good Birding
Bill S.