Help Identify Bird

[fireflyr]

Found this guy when I was out mountain biking last week. I had moved a 3" limb off the trail and he was resting underneath. I actually thought he was a piece of wood and nudged him out of the way with my foot. He spread out his wings (threat display?) but never tried to fly away.

Location was in Keene, Ca. at about 2500' elevation. Oak woodland, rolling hills.

Any ideas? Thought it might be a Whip-poor-will but the range seems wrong. Owl?

 

[fireflyr]

Mouth was very wide with small beak. About 100' past this guy I picked up a oak branch in the derailler.

Pushed all the way back to the base but the bird made it all worthwile.

 

[Redeye69]

Found this guy when I was out mountain biking last week. I had moved a 3" limb off the trail and he was resting underneath. I actually thought he was a piece of wood and nudged him out of the way with my foot. He spread out his wings (threat display?) but never tried to fly away.

Location was in Keene, Ca. at about 2500' elevation. Oak woodland, rolling hills.

Any ideas? Thought it might be a Whip-poor-will but the range seems wrong. Owl?

Looks like Great Horned Owl. I will show to a bird friend and see what he says. Where was it? How big? That will help with ID

 

[fireflyr]

Southern California foothills and about the size of a pigeon. Thanks for the help.

 

[Skillet]

not a horned owl.

size of a pigeon sounds like a burrowing owl.

pretty common in so-cal...

 

[sparkplug]

not a horned owl.

size of a pigeon sounds like a burrowing owl.

pretty common in so-cal...

Ding, ding...I think we have a winner.


Your prize is a lifetime supply of hide tanning oil.



-OJ

 

[Godwin]

It's a common poorwill and related to the whip-poor-will. It roosts on the ground and with their cryptic pattern blend in very well.

 

[fireflyr]

That makes sense. The beak seemed small for an owl. Thanks for the replies. Here's a link:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Poorwill/lifehistory

I guess they can go into a state of torpor when food is scarce or in winter. That would explain why he didn't fly off.

 

[fireflyr]

 

[splitshot]

Lesser Nighthawk/Chordeiles acutipennis....
Cool nocturnal bug eater;

 

[Fast Eddy]

Lesser Nighthawk/Chordeiles acutipennis....
Cool nocturnal bug eater;

And night-time mountain biker spooker.

 

[NorCalBorn]

And night-time mountain biker spooker.

Someone's been riding Coe?