Coldstream (Vernon), B.C. Canada (1 Viewer)

Hi - attached is photo of bird spotted on August 22 on Middleton Mountain. Can anyone advise what kind of sparrow this is? Looks to me that it has black spots on the lower part of its chest. Sorry for poor quality photo (was some distance away). Thanks in advance for any help!

Not uncommon for Vernon, Rock Wren?

Agree. Looks like a Rock Wren.

The black spots are simply areas where the feathers are not lying normally. Though the outer parts of the belly feathers are pale, on many birds there's an inner section, and/or a separate layer of down, that's black.

Thanks for the ID. Rock Wrens are seen in our area, but I have lived here for 30+ years and not seen one. It was reported in 2016 that when they were building in a new area they had been spotted by the construction workers and they had put aside an area where they were hoping they would come back to nest. I went for a hike in the area in August and spotted this bird but could not get close and the bird did not call, so I was unsure if this was in fact a Rock Wren, as I never seen one. So many thanks again for the ID!!