Tuesday Teaser 010411: A Pair o’ Sparrows

Song sparrow

Tree Sparrow

Dennis Cheesman photographed these two sparrows trying to stay out of the wind at DeKorte Park last week. Can you ID them?

Answers tomorrow.

5 thoughts on “Tuesday Teaser 010411: A Pair o’ Sparrows

  1. julie

    Top sparrow: Song.
    Bottom: I believe this is a “first winter” White-crowned Sparrow. The “eyeline” stripe turns up toward the crown, where I would expect an American Tree to drift downward as it goes further back. A Tree’s cap (and overall tone) would be more rufous, as would a Chipping Sparrow’s cap. A Chipping’s eyeline would be darker.
    Also, this bird’s cap has the beginnings of a lighter stripe down the center, where I would expect an American Tree or a Chipping to have a more solid cap.
    A Chipping would have a blacker bill; a Tree would have a yellower bill. This bird’s seems much more pink than yellow. There doesn’t seem to be a central spot at the breast, as you would expect in a Tree.
    At least, that’s my overall rationale for my vote. I probably blew the Song Sparrow because I spent so much time thinking about the bottom sparrow. 😉

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  2. Pam

    You know…I almost want to say Lincoln’s on the first guy, but I think I’ll stand by my previous post as I do not see any buffy.

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