Bird ID Please

[Dave S]

Sorry no pic. I heard a different bird in the back yard this morning. Unfortunately I couldn't get the camera soon enough before he left.

He was about the size of an Oriole, black head, back and wings, white chest and rust or copper colored on the sides. When he flew away, it appeared to have some white on the tip of his tail. I've never seen one of these guys before.

Any ideas?

[MootScoot]

American Redstart?

[Dave S]

Way too big for an American Redstart. That was my first guess but I've seen them before.

I finally found a pic of an Eastern Towhee that matched the bird I saw.

[goblueM]

Eastern Towhee

edit: whoops saw you already figured it out. I'm a little slow this morning, too much turkey hunting combined with late nights playing in my softball league

[Dave S]

Thank anyhow GBM. Thanks for posting the pic. Out of the House Finches, Sparrows, Blackbirds, Robins and Chipping Sparrows in the yard this morning, this Eastern Towhee really stood out.