red & black bird question

Today I saw a bird under the eve of my front porch. I don't recall seeing one before and have no idea what it is. Unfortuately, I did not get a picture.

Anyway, it's about 4 or 5 inches long. The lower half looks like a starling while the upper half is crimson colored streaking towards the mid-section. The legs were black.

Any idea what it is?

I'm on the Alabama Gulf Coast.

Maybe an escaped Red Bishop? They're popular cagebirds. Pic: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/1090820

Resin

How about the Crimson-collared Grosbeak? http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Crimson-collared+grosbeak&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&sa=X&ei=uhN8TZmQK6bh0gGrmIDMAw&ved=0CDIQsAQ&biw=1262&bih=718

edited to add more links: http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/705/_/Crimson-collared_Grosbeak.aspx

http://www.texasbirds.org/tbrc/ccgros.htm

This message was edited Mar 12, 2011 7:50 PM

Thanks for the guesses but it's neither of those.

Are there any starlings that have red on them?

How about a male Orchard Oriole?

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Orchard_Oriole/id

http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&sugexp=gsis&xhr=t&q=orchard+orioles&cp=15&pq=orchard+oriole+&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&bs=1&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&sa=X&ei=-A59TZS6NMqUtwfqsLm6BQ&sqi=2&ved=0CD4QsAQ&biw=1262&bih=718

Or, possibly the Vermillion Flycatcher? They are birds of the SW and Mexico but sometimes seen in the panhandle of Florida in winter months: http://www.dcnr.state.al.us/watchable-wildlife/what/birds/fsv/vf.cfm

Here's a site I found with a list of birds found in Alabama, both common and rare:

http://www.dcnr.state.al.us/watchable-wildlife/what/birds/

Not with red above. There are a couple with red bellies, but not backs.

Can you do even a rough sketch, take a pic of tthe sketch and post it here? Even a bad sketch is better than nothing!

Also, how big was it compared to other more familiar birds?

Resin

I have looked at the Outdoor Alabama site. When I did not find the bird there I came here.

Resin;

It is the same size, shape and coloration as the starling. Only difference is the dark read on the head, neck and chest.

Oh, I thought you meant the red was on the bird's back when you said upper half. So, just to make sure I understand ...

The bird is Starling sized and the red is on the head, neck and upper chest and the red streaks toward the mid-section. Legs are black.

Right?

How about a Purple or House Finch, a Summer Tanager (1st Spring)?

Ditto to P_Edens!!

Resin

Well, casting farther afield (and I realize that these do not exactly match your written description), how about red-headed woodpecker:
http://www.dcnr.state.al.us/watchable-wildlife/what/birds/woodpeckers/rhw.cfm

Pileated woodpecker:
http://www.dcnr.state.al.us/watchable-wildlife/what/birds/woodpeckers/pw.cfm

Scarlet tanager?
http://www.google.ca/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=scarlet%20tanager&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1279&bih=635

Western tanager?
http://www.google.ca/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=western%20tanager&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1279&bih=635

Basically, your description is pretty hard to match up with any bird that has a chance of making it to Alabama.

This message was edited Mar 15, 2011 8:39 PM

P edens;

Yes, you understand correctly. While house finch and purple finch are close to what I saw I think the bird I looked at had a darker more mottled lower body and wings. It also seemed to be a litle bit larger than a finch but I didn't have anything to compare it to for scale.