Mom went for a walk, and found an exploded bird, no meat, eaten well, feathers that stretched for 10 feet or so ending in this wing. She brought me the wing, asked me what it was, I can't ID it.
Southern Missouri, mid-winter (might not be native) and doesn't seem to be in my Audubon book of the Birds of Missouri.
Might be a domesticated bird too.
My wildlife book doesn't say much about the length of wings and only a couple of birds have wingspans.
It is definitely a big bird with that wingspan.
That wing looks a lot like an Osprey which is in your area though its wingspan is only 6 feet.
Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner
I'm not thinking it's that large a bird. 15" wing, plus the body is probably a 3' wingspan. I'm thinking something in the seagull or crow size range.
I make a Maple Syrup instructional movie! Check it out HERE SKIP books, get 'em while they're hot!!! Skills to Inherit Property See me in a movie building a massive wood staircase:Low Tech Lab Movie
Let's see, guess of size based on the wing is about 3 foot span, I agree.
No gulls around here. Local crows are solid black.
Greg: It is pretty pointy, but it would spread. I tried to get a clear pic, light etc made me have to be at a slight lower angle than straight down. Would another help?
The colors fascinate me. Backwards for a Mississippi Kite (which doesn't come this far west) they are grey, white, black. This is white, gray, black. Doesn't look like anything in my book. Might be migratory (but it's late for them) or domestic (no clue what, goose maybe?)
My daughter says: How about a Pileated Woodpecker?
Determining the difference between Bockings 4 and 14 is done by consensus. It's like trying to identify the difference between twins.
"There are other spots on the web to get my fix proving someone is an idiot but no other place for what I get here." -- former permie Brice Moss, 2012.
Determining the difference between Bockings 4 and 14 is done by consensus. It's like trying to identify the difference between twins.
"There are other spots on the web to get my fix proving someone is an idiot but no other place for what I get here." -- former permie Brice Moss, 2012.
Determining the difference between Bockings 4 and 14 is done by consensus. It's like trying to identify the difference between twins.
"There are other spots on the web to get my fix proving someone is an idiot but no other place for what I get here." -- former permie Brice Moss, 2012.
Tom Worley wrote:I'm wondering if it could be from a snow goose, or a specklebelly goose. They should still be hanging around this part of the world.
WOOT! That is VERY likely it! Snow goose!!
We are near the lakes, and we do hear lots of geese.
Comparing to my original photo:
Looks like it to me and mom, the white/gray/black banding is correct, size is correct, location is correct, noise in the sky adds extra data points,
THANK YOU TOM!!