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Sparrow ID (1 Viewer)

Grousemore

Senior Member
I confidently ID'd this and took a couple of pics,but having looked at the results(poor quality and all)a few doubts have crept in.
Any comments anyone?
 

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could be, since sparrows have regional variations and whatnot.

might be a song sparrow, as well.
 
Grousemore said:
I confidently ID'd this and took a couple of pics,but having looked at the results(poor quality and all)a few doubts have crept in.
Any comments anyone?

Haven't a clue about this pic - but it might help others if you tell us where and when it was taken!
 
It looks like a Song Sparrow to me. That doesn't mean it is one, but it does suggest that it isn't a Fox Sparrow!

Jason
 
I think Song Sparrow might be dodgy on the basis of it having a forked tail. I was torn between Savannah and Vesper Sparrow. It doesn't look to have much of an eye ring on this pic so maybe it's Savannah. Not at all certain though. Any other pics or perhaps a few field notes?
 
That long, notched tail is really mucking things up, otherwise I'd guess Song or Savannah.

edit - perhaps it isn't as long as I think it is (perspective illusion). I'm going with Savannah.
 
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Another pic of sorts,no field notes as I was sure what it was and hoped to get a decent photo(failed)
 

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They do winter in Florida. It's not so late in the year that you couldn't find a straggler or two left. Most should be on their way north by now though, I would guess.
 
i'm pretty certain its a savannah - tail - facial marking - lightish streaking around nape - seems like a fairly typical savannah. luke
 
I still think it looks most like a Savannah but it seems to have a very pale undertail and a very contrasting white supercillium. Can't see it fitting anything else though.
 
When I first saw it ,I assumed Savannah;the habitat was right and I've seen loads in Florida.
When I downloaded the pic,the supercilium looked unusually white and ,as Andrew pointed out the under tail was pale as well.The bill was also on the large side,so I wondered if it was something else,although I can't suggest anything!
 
Ipswich Savannah is very light, and winters down there, Grousemore. It's too pale for any Song Sparrow (and we've had a rash of those on these threads, too)...
 
Fair point,Charles,although I have to admit this one didn't strike me as being bigger than the usual Savannah's I've been seeing.
 
Grousemore said:
Sorry,Strix,I didn't study it sufficiently through the scope,too busy trying for a photo(basic birding error!)

Ah yes, sometimes you've got to decide if the priority is birding or photography and one suffers at the expense of the other!
 
Strix said:
Ah yes, sometimes you've got to decide if the priority is birding or photography and one suffers at the expense of the other!

Priority has always been birding,but the desire to try and get some decent pics can be blamed on Birdforum ;)
 
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