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sparrows in northern michigan (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter bgebz
- Start date
prairiemerlin
registered guy
Hi bGebz,
Your first bird appears to be a Grasshopper Sparrow. Overall very buffy, with head stripes and plain underparts. The flat head and short tail are also characteristic of this species. The second bird is a Song Sparrow - long tail, rich brown overall, messy streaking...
cheers
Neil G.
Your first bird appears to be a Grasshopper Sparrow. Overall very buffy, with head stripes and plain underparts. The flat head and short tail are also characteristic of this species. The second bird is a Song Sparrow - long tail, rich brown overall, messy streaking...
cheers
Neil G.
For photo1, the buffy/yellowish wash on the face suggests Le Conte's Sparrow to me - Grasshopper Sparrows, at least according to BNA Online's range map (I don't have my book with me), don't make it up to Northern Michigan.
As for photo2, I would agree with Microtus that the bill, plumage, and structure are wrong for Chipping. I agree with Song - yeah the super's not as gray as usual, but it's within variation. See attached image for anti-Chipping notes (including back color and patterning mentioned by Microtus - which also rules out an American Tree hypothesis).
Here are Chipping Sparrows at similar angles for comparison:
http://www.learnbirdsongs.com/images/chipping-sparrowwtmk.jpg
http://www.buschelmanphoto.com/Birds/chipping sparrow.jpg
molting: http://phillyist.com/attachments/philly_jill/Chipping Sparrow.jpg
http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn...hipping+sparrow+dad+forgets+weaned+webjpg.jpg
As for photo2, I would agree with Microtus that the bill, plumage, and structure are wrong for Chipping. I agree with Song - yeah the super's not as gray as usual, but it's within variation. See attached image for anti-Chipping notes (including back color and patterning mentioned by Microtus - which also rules out an American Tree hypothesis).
Here are Chipping Sparrows at similar angles for comparison:
http://www.learnbirdsongs.com/images/chipping-sparrowwtmk.jpg
http://www.buschelmanphoto.com/Birds/chipping sparrow.jpg
molting: http://phillyist.com/attachments/philly_jill/Chipping Sparrow.jpg
http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn...hipping+sparrow+dad+forgets+weaned+webjpg.jpg
Attachments
birderbf
Wild, Wild West ................... ern Spindalis
Grasshopper makes it all the way up Michigan (not the Upper Peninsula though) according to Sibley. The first bird is lacking the more patterned face (with a darker auricular, orange wash to supercillium and moustache area) and streaked flanks. So I agree with prairiemerlin with Grasshopper and Song.
I was assuming - perhaps prematurely - that "northern Michigan" was implying the upper peninsula. Bgebz, can you clarify?
I must say that I'm a little confused by your post, Birderbf. I'll go as far to say that I don't necessarily disagree with Grasshopper. Take range out of the equation and I would barely make it to Ammodramus sp.! But simultaneously, I'm not sure that you can confidently make all these calls considering how blurry and distant this photo is. I thought I could make out a dark auricular - I've attached a blow-up, but again, barely enough to go on.
For me, this is a call on range. If it's upper peninsula, I'll say probable Le Conte's. If it's lower peninsula, I'll say probable Grasshopper.
