2 SE Arizona sparrows, not White-crowned? (1 Viewer)

[zoutedrop]

These two birds were taken at in Ramsey Canyon south of Sierra Vista at the end of November. The eye stripe does not connect with the crown and the bill doesn't seem to be the right color (I am colorblind). Thanks for your help.

 

[Phil Carter]

I'm certainly no expert but I'm struggling to get past White-crowned.

Phil

 

[zoutedrop]

I just realized that bird two has a leg band

I am inclined to agree with you, 1st year white-crowned, I cannot make it into anything else

 

[littletiff99]

Agree with white crowned

 

[ntbirdman]

This isn't a White-crowned Sparrow or any Zonotrichia - it's a Spizella. Note the weakly defined dark auriculars and pale malar, the dark supercilium that stops well short of the clean gray nape, and the broad buffy rather than white wing bars. I think it's Chipping, but I can't rule out Clay-colored yet.

Edit - I just realized these are two different birds, but I believe both are Spizella.

 

[The Falcon]

Definitely not a White-crowned Sparrow; it's a Chipping Sparrow.

 

[Birdbrain22]

I will state here, like I did on the other forum...I see this as a Chipping Sparrow. On all Clay-colored I have seen, the facial markings are much more clear and distinct.

 

[DarkFireFalcon]

I agree with Spizella, but a Chipping Sparrow should show a bolder dark lore, even in winter plumage, while clay-colored get duller in winter plumage, muting their otherwise clear and distinct facial pattern.

 

[Birdbrain22]

Nevermind.

 

[fugl]

I agree with Spizella, but a Chipping Sparrow should show a bolder dark lore, even in winter plumage, while clay-colored get duller in winter plumage, muting their otherwise clear and distinct facial pattern.

I've had zero experience with winter-plumaged Clay-colored Sparrows so can't comment on that possibility, but as far as Chipping is concerned the pale lores are a problem for me also.

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

How about a Brewer's for the right hand bird? I see a trace of streaking on the nape, and it would allow for the pale lores.

 

[DarkFireFalcon]

Brewer's is much more likely by range than clay-colored, and that would explain the muted face pattern. I'm going with definitely a Brewer's for the second bird, and likely a brewers for the 1st bird. The gray nape is suggestive of Clay-colored, but it does appear to have some streaking in the middle, which would make it a Brewer's.

 

[ntbirdman]

Aren't the crowns on these birds much too chestnut for anything but Chipping?

 

[Sandhill Crane Lover]

I'm thinking both are nonbreeding Chipping Sparrows.

 

[DarkFireFalcon]

I've never seen a Chipping sparrow with lores this pale though.

 

[Tiraya]

If you were trying to trick people into thinking a Chipping was a White-crowned those two pics would certainly be the way to go!

As said before these birds don't have the Zonotrichia feel at all leaving only Chipper and Clay by the plumage. These are chipping. White eyering is clearly visible and supercilium is bold.

 

[TLeukering]

These are both Chipping Sparrows, which can show pale lores; the feature is not as rare as most birders make out, but how many actually study lots of Chipping Sparrows or, like me, have banded 100s of them in fall. The rufescent lateral crown stripes rule out Clay-colored, as does the lack of a buffy chest. Additionally, on the larger image of the banded bird, one can see at least a slight extension of the dark eyeline in front of the eye. As noted by others, even dull-end Clay-colored Sparrows have a stronger face pattern than shown by either of these birds.