Other ornithologist out there?

Question

hi.

can you help me?

i have found a Pyrrhuloxua bird outside my house!

and i live in sumter sc.

it is verry tame.

i can hold it, and what not...

but how the heck would one of those birds be in South Carolina is what im wondering.

[it's a female]

Answer 1

Since it is so tame I'm wondering if somebody from Mexico had it as a pet and brought it across the border with them and lost it or let it go?

Try to find a Federal Wildlife Rehabilitator in your area. The bird is much too imprinted to ever be released into the wild again but a Rehabber could use it for educational purposes.

Answer 2

Are you sure its a Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus)?

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBir...

I'm guessing that it's a fledgling Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis).   They are very similar, except the Pyrrhuloxia has a yellow bill and is is grayer in color.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBir...

South Carolina is too far out of their normal range which is Mexico and adjoining US southern states.

Juveniles and females have similar markings.  If it's that "tame",  it's either someone's lost (and illegal) pet , or it's a fledgling.