I was not able to get a picture of this bird which lit on the ground below my bird feeder and was eating grain. It had markings which looked like a sparrow or finch and was about the size of a sparrow or finch. But it had a very long black tail...much longer than the bird itself. The tail seemed like one longtailfeather while it was on the ground, no forking. I did not see it fly as several birds that size were flying at the same time. It had a very bright red beak, perhaps even orange. And the markings were like a sparrow but much more distinct as a woodpecker's are. Coloring was dark brown and very light tan to white as contrasting color. This bird was sighted in Middle Tennessee in late March.
Sorry I can't help msdodiew but like most of the peopl on here I am australian and don't know anything about US birds.
See Yez
Trev
I saw a bird here in a tree near my hanging bird feeder in Tampa, Florida,in mid-July, that might be the same kind of bird. I have looked through my Audubon Society Field Guide to Birds Eastern Region and I don't see it. This bird had an extremely long tail, a bright red-orange beak, and dark and light markings like the ones you describe. It was about the same size as house finches that were on the bird feeder at the same time. Did you ever find out anything more about the bird you saw?
We have Long-tailed Finches in Australia that seem to fit the description - it could be an aviary escapee?
Taz