Towhee

[B. Miller]

The identity my yard bird is clearly an E. towhee. The question is why didn’t Merlin identify it as something. It picked up the usuals, cardinals, blue jays, chickadees, house Sparrows, etc. but did not identify five loud recordings of the E. Towhee.
Other than questioning the green winged teal it identified in my yard last fall usually I find Merlin to be reliable and interesting and has me searching for birds I didn’t hear.
Barb Miller
Des Moines

Sent from my iPad

[Wendy VanDeWalle]

Merlin may possibly think it’s too early. Try listening to the recordings again. Once I had it identify something after I listened to it. 

It is always best to use Merlin as a suggestion and then confirm with a sighting.  

The other day I had a singing finch that I could not see. Merlin said House Finch because it had a little bit of that “zing” call in it.  Then it said Cassin’s Finch and Warbling Vireo! It also gave Purple Finch as a last choice.  I finally saw it and it was a female Purple Finch! 

Fun sighting! Enjoy! 

Wendy VanDeWalle

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