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Sparrow ID Help! (1 Viewer)

gthang

gthang

Ford Focus Fanatic: mmmmmm... 3.1415926535.....
I have two new ticks, and i can't seem to identify them, since sparrows are moving quickly but i have pictures attached. the first two are one bird species, the last three are the other bird species. I live in New York USA, and the pictures were taken yesterday.

I have taken a gander at what they could be. First bird: Song Sparrow. Second bird: American Tree Sparrow. If these birds are not the above or not even sparrows, it's the beginner in me...

Here are the pcitures:
 

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First bird is indeed a Song Sparrow, second bird is
a Chipping Sparrow: note black and white stripes on side of the head and red cap.

Dalcio
 
yeah, but the dark rufous continued on the wings, which threw my ID toward the American Tree Sparrow. The Tree Sparrow also has a striping pattern on his head (Heck, most of the sparrows do.) Anyway, if you have second thoughts or want to add something, don't hesitate to psot here.

Thanks though!
 
also, looking at the chipping sparrow data in my Sibley book, New York is orange, indicating that Chipping sparrows can be seen during the summer months. And it's only still winter. The American Tree Sparrow, on the other hand, winters in NY. other candidates were Swamp sparrow (a year-round resident of NY), and Bachman's sparrow, all candidates chosen because of the bright rufous on head and wing/back area.
 
The wing bars are another good clue that this bird is a Chipping Sparrow. It's a bit tough to see the details in any of the three pictures, but based on the seeming black eye stripe shown in the first picture (third overall of the five), and the wing bars in the second one (4th overall), I'd also go with Chipping. It's a bit odd that the last two pictures hint at a rufous eye stripe, not a black one.
 
the eye stripe doesn't appear to be black on the birds at the feeder...

if you look closely, the bar appears to be a dark rufous color.
 
in the second picture (4th overall) you can see the rufous color of the eye stripe.
 
Definitely chipping sparrow. Am. tree sparrow doesn't have anywhere *near* as strongly defined an eyeline (regardless of how the color may appear to be in these photos), and it doesn't have the lighter (buffy to white), equally well-defined supercilium that chipping has. I've also seen the eyeline vary throughout the year, starting with rufous and going toward black.

Chipping sparrows also can be quite rufous on the back and wings. Don't be fooled by range maps, either. Changes in weather can put birds into these ranges seemingly "early" or "late". They're simply meant to be a guide as exceptions occur all the time.
 
OK, thanks, Also today, saw a bird (below).

Description: It's roughly the same size as an American Goldfinch, but it could be a juvenile, or something else. COuld anyone help with this bird below:
 

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gthang said:
OK, thanks, Also today, saw a bird (below).

Description: It's roughly the same size as an American Goldfinch, but it could be a juvenile, or something else. COuld anyone help with this bird below:
Click to expand...
Hi Gthang,

This new one is a Pine Siskin

Michael
 
Thanks!

The birds just keep coming! Yesterday I photographed 2 different woodpeckers (Red-Bellied and Downy), resulting in getting the Downy on film for the first time (My dad is also into the hobby, but doesn't take pictures of all the common birds.). Yesterday, saw the two sparrows, now today, i see carolina wrens, the two sparrows, and now a pine siskin...
 
gthang said:
yeah, but the dark rufous continued on the wings, which threw my ID toward the American Tree Sparrow. The Tree Sparrow also has a striping pattern on his head (Heck, most of the sparrows do.) Anyway, if you have second thoughts or want to add something, don't hesitate to psot here.

Thanks though!
Click to expand...

I think now that you are right, the right most photo does show two other features of Am. Tree Sparrow: the rusty at the wing joints and the central spot on the gray chest. I was thrown out by the colors on the head in the first photo: the superciliary seemed too white (for ATS) and the line through the eye looked narrow and black. Evidently didn't look carefully at the following two pictures. Sorry for the confusion.

Dalcio
 
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great bird that you've got there with the pine siskin g-thang i had a couple in my garden for a few days earlier in the winter but they are by no means common and a goood addition to your list. luke
 
In my opinion it's a Am. tree Sparrow. The key is the two colored bill (gray & yellow). Chippers are one colored (black). Van
 
um, i'll try an find a better picture of the second bird (the American Tree Sparrow/Chipping Sparrow).

And number two, is everyone sure that the third bird is a pine siskin? because looking at pictures online and comparing them to my pictures, the light colored stripes on the back and primaries (those on the top of the wing?) should be grey for a pine siskin, but due to the quality of the camera, appear light-brown in the pictures i posted. Again thanks for your help.
 
OK, so you guys have changed from chipping sparrow to American Tree Sparrow? Regarding the two-tone beak, it's hard to tell, and i would need a telephoto lens for my 1997-era digicam...
 
The location is Great Blue Heron; at the end of our 1/4-mile-long dead-end street, there's a pond on property owned, ironically, by a construction company owner. The pond is home to a family of Great Blue Herons.
 
You know, this is so silly. I just went to a seminar last week (of all times) by Kenn Kaufman (of all people) about sparrow identification (of all birds)! And I'm no better off now than I was before! :C :C :C

After reading other comments in the thread, I'm now withdrawing my support for the Chippy. We don't get Tree Sparrows down here (often) so I'm not used to throwing them in the mix.
 
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