May 31, 2009 - Sparrows

This week I am showing you some of the sparrows that we saw in our yard this spring. Beginners often have trouble identifying sparrows because many of them look so much alike. Birders often refer to these sparrows as LBJs (little brown jobs). You’ll see why in these photos because all the birds have a brown streaked back. But, if you look at the head pattern, there are identification marks that help distinguish each sparrow species.

Chipping Sparrows are a common summer resident in most of the United States and Canada. They have adapted well to living near humans and they will nest in forests, suburbs, fields, and parks. Their clear breast and rusty chestnut cap are good identification marks. Their song is a long, fast trill.

sparrowchippingdunninglake20090521

Clay-colored Sparrows are rather plain and pale. The dark cheek patch with a white stripe above and below it is a good field mark. Also note the gray color that goes all the way around the back of the neck. Clay-colored Sparrows nest in the far northern United States and central Canada. They have a buzzy call that could be mistaken for an insect.

sparrowclaycoloreddunninglake20090515

I think the White-crowned Sparrow is one of our most elegant sparrows. It has a pattern of bold black stripes on its white head. The bill ranges from pink to dull yellow. In our area we have to keep a careful watch for these sparrows because they are just passing through on the way to their breeding grounds. They nest in far northern Canada and in the mountainous areas of the western United States.

sparrowwhitecrowneddunninglake20090521

I’m still not very good at recognizing bird calls but I knew the song of the White-throated Sparrow long before I knew which species of bird was singing it. We would hear their “Oh Sweet Canada, Canada, Canada” song at our lake home in the summer and we called it our mystery bird call. One day I was listening to some recorded bird calls and finally found out that our mystery bird was this sparrow. It is aptly named; you can see the white patches on its throat. It also has black and white stripes on its head and a bright yellow spot right in front of each eye. Their nesting territory is mainly in Canada but, in Northern Minnesota, we are at the southern edge of it.

sparrowwhitethroateddunninglake20090509