Bird identification help needed

[Mamyalynne]

No picture I am afraid and asking for my daughter so will try to explain as clearly as I can

Location North West England
Urban but near an expanse of grassland.

Size similar to a Pigeon
Colour Mid Brown
Distinctive feature Long straight tail with vivid kingfisher blue and white stripes (not bars)
Behaviour Timid


There were three of them, have exhausted all my resources thus far, let's hope they return to have their photo taken.

Any ideas?

[sandyRoe]

A Jay?

[LoftyLottie]

Jay?

http://www.fotothing....4fc20fa6a56f0689e.jpg

[LoftyLottie]

Hello Sandy. You weren't there a minute ago!!

[Mamyalynne]

That looks good to me will send her that.

Thankyou

Mamya

[LoftyLottie]

Member of crow family mamya. They are beautiful. Lots in the wood behind us. Quite timid with humans. Take small birds and eggs as food.

[ethandron]

beat me to it - defo a jay i would say, nothing else fits.

[Mamyalynne]

Kids eh? she is not happy with that one, as she says it was just the tail that had vivid blue and not the wings ??

[ethandron]

just been through my rspb handbook and my new collins and nothing native to england fits that description really. could be an escapee from a private collection perhaps?

[Mamyalynne]

well there were three of them, she must get a piccy.

[garner]

I think it could be a jay, but unsure about the mid brown.

[rowanwitch]

http://www.surfbirds....s=Azure-winged+Magpie

no white stripes in the tail but only bird listed for europe with long kingfisher blue tail would guess escaped from a collection or you will have twitchers all over the uk wanting to find out if they are still around...

[Mamyalynne]

Thanks for all your help, one bird did return and she now accepts that a Jay it is, though more vivid than the photographs online, so a pat on the back to all.