Here's a photo of a Brewer's Sparrow taken in July in Bowman County, North Dakota, a breeding bird in typical sagebrush habitat. The tail is longer than that shown in photos of the sparrow in Queens:
http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=18145522 Deb Allen -----Original Message----- >From: Shaibal Mitra <[email protected]> >Sent: Dec 22, 2015 7:23 AM >To: 'NY Birds' <[email protected]> >Subject: RE: [nysbirds-l] Queens spizella sparrow > >To clarify one point that has been raised, Clay-colored Sparrow is also very >long-tailed, like Brewer's. This distinction vs. Chipping (shorter-tailed) is >sometimes evident in the field. > >Shai Mitra >Bay Shore >________________________________________ >From: [email protected] >[[email protected]] on behalf of Steve Walter >[[email protected]] >Sent: Monday, December 21, 2015 9:41 PM >To: 'NY Birds' >Subject: RE: [nysbirds-l] Queens spizella sparrow > >I had the opportunity to photograph a few Brewer’s in Arizona in September >2012. I say Brewer’s because they are expected there – vastly outnumbering >Clay-colored. But matching up some of the pictures to field guides was more >difficult than you would think, especially with few actual photographs to >compare to. I have a few of my pictures available online still, if anyone >wants to compare. In one of them, the tail appears especially long. Also of >note is that the crown streaking looks finer to me than on the Queens bird. Of >course, age and time of year have to be taken into account. > >The address is http://stevewalternature.com/steve/sparrows.htm . The pictures >to look at are labeled Las Cienagas 07, 08, and 09. > > >Steve Walter > >From: [email protected] >[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David Klauber >Sent: Monday, December 21, 2015 8:36 PM >To: NY Birds <[email protected]> >Subject: [nysbirds-l] Queens spizella sparrow > > I've done a bit of research on this and I think identification to species is > inconclusive, as there seem to be characteristics that favor both > Clay-colored and Brewer's. There is more confusion because I think the side > of the face that shows a black semi-circle might be feather bases caused by > the wind or ruffled feathers, since neither species shows this. Like almost > everyone else I don't have extensive experience with either species, > especially Brewer's, but here's what I've found from checking the Nat Geo, > Sibley, Stokes photo guide, and Rising & Beadle's sparrow guide. > >There seems to be weak streaking on the gray nape, which I think should be >stronger for Brewer's, but shouldn't be there for Clay-colored. The eye-ring >seems a bit weak for Brewer's as well - could it be worn? The black streaks on >the back are listed as good for Brewer's by Rising, etc, but Sibley paints >Clay-colors with a similar pattern. Deborah Allen mentioned the tail looking >short for Brewer's, and most books show Brewer's with a long tail. The overall >color looks more like the grayish-brown of Brewer's. The face pattern doesn't >look strong enough for Clay-color, but doesn't really match Brewer's either. > >The Stokes guide has a photo on page 666, bottom left, which comes pretty >close to the Queens bird, but not quite. There is supposed to be a difference >in the cheek color, but the previously mentioned black semicircle obscures >this, although I think it's more gray (Brewer's) than buff (Clay-color). I >don't know what to make of the faint blurry streaks on the side of the breast, >but it does match the same Stokes photo. The pink bill is black on top, also >good for Brewer's. > >So to my eyes a real head-scratcher. Hybrid seems the easy way out, but I >don't know much about worn or transitional plumages for either. >In any event a very interesting bird, even if it's a dull LBJ. >-- >NYSbirds-L List Info: >Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME> >Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES> >Subscribe, Configuration and >Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> >Archives: >The Mail >Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> >Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L> >BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html> >Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! >-- >-- >NYSbirds-L List Info: >Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME> >Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES> >Subscribe, Configuration and >Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> >Archives: >The Mail >Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> >Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L> >BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html> >Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! >-- > >________________________________ >Support CSI students this holiday season each time you shop with Amazon >Smile<https://smile.amazon.com/ch/13-3683723> > >-- > >NYSbirds-L List Info: >http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME >http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES >http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm > >ARCHIVES: >1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html >2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L >3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html > >Please submit your observations to eBird: >http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > >-- > -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
