Lincolns sparrow? (1 Viewer)

[Sage-grouse girl]

I saw a bunch of these in Wyoming by the river do you think they are Lincolns sparrows?

 

[Microtus]

They are Chipping Sparrows.

 

[Sage-grouse girl]

They are Chipping Sparrows.

Do Chipping sparrows have those fine streaks?

 

[Sage-grouse girl]

Here is another picture.

 

[Microtus]

Young birds do.

 

[tom baxter]

The first one is a clay colored sparrow the second one is a juvenile chipping sparrow. Clay colored does not have dark lores like chipping sparrow, zoom in and inspect the area between the base of the bill and the eye (lores) in photo 1 and note that the dark line seen behind the eye is not present in the lores. This is a good way to distinguish between clay colored and chipping. It’s also a slightly lighter color of brown, trending towards tan and although the light is cast upon the bird in an unfavorable way to see this, there is a suggestion of a gray nape which is another ID mark for clay colored.

 

[connorco]

All of these are definitely Chipping. Clay-colored really aren’t similar.

 

[tom baxter]

These are two very commonly confused species and often for good reason. In bad light they really are quite similar, to the extent that good birders with many years of experience can have great difficulty being sure. If the colors are obscured, the structure and patterns of the two species are extremely similar. This photo is case in point.

 

[Indobirder]

All of these are definitely Chipping. Clay-colored really aren’t similar.

Agree with Chipping for all. I wouldn't say "really aren't", as they are quite similar if you were to compare with the similarity between Song Sparrow and Chipping for instance.

Clay-colored and Brewer's I struggle distinguishing (at least from photos--as I've never seen a Brewer's)

 

[connorco]

Agree with Chipping for all. I wouldn't say "really aren't", as they are quite similar if you were to compare with the similarity between Song Sparrow and Chipping for instance.

Clay-colored and Brewer's I struggle distinguishing (at least from photos--as I've never seen a Brewer's)

Yes, CCSP and BRSP definitely can pose an ID challenge, especially if you are seeing a dull Clay-colored. I was lucky enough to have both in direct comparison yesterday.

 

[qwerty5]

I say Chipping for all.

 

[tom baxter]

How are we discounting that this bird has pale lores?

 

[birdmeister]

How are we discounting that this bird has pale lores?

My initial thought on the bird in question was Chipping, too. I see the lores as darker than the surrounding feathers, even though they're paler than the rest of the supercilium. I'm reluctant to call it on one feature, although pale lores are usually good for Clay-colored.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

I don't think the single first image is clear enough to know how comparatively dark the loral line is (a feature always best assessed from more than one angle anyway) and not clear enough to be sure of some of the other (pro Clay-colored) features either, eg greyness of nape.