FishkaFishka Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 Hello everyone, I spotted this bird at my feeders in West Michigan today. I think it is a field sparrow, but technically they shouldn’t be here during the winter. It had a pale, unmarked breast, and a light pink/beige-ish beak. It also had a thin white eye ring. I for sure saw an American tree sparrow yesterday, but this bird is slightly different. Sorry for the poor quality photos, I was trying to take a picture through my binoculars! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelLong Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 Chipping sparrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneat Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 I feel that this individual looks better for an immature White-crowned Sparrow. Note the clear lores that would be dark on a Chipping Sparrow. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulK Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 This makes no sense but that really looks like a golden-crowned to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birding Boy Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 Definitely White-crowned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colton V Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 (edited) 8 minutes ago, Sneat said: I feel that this individual looks better for an immature White-crowned Sparrow. Note the clear lores that would be dark on a Chipping Sparrow. Agreed. It's a Zonotrichia, which can be narrowed down to Golden-crowned or White-crowned by the crown pattern and unpatterned throat, which can be narrowed down to White-crowned by range. Edit: and the bold line behind the eye. Edited February 8, 2021 by Colton V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishkaFishka Posted February 8, 2021 Author Share Posted February 8, 2021 (edited) Thank you! He is back right now, and I can agree that he looks like an immature white-crowned. I can see the stripes on his head more clearly now. I’ve seen the adults here before. He’s a little far north for this time of year, isn’t he? Edited February 8, 2021 by FishkaFishka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulK Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 2 minutes ago, Colton V said: Agreed. It's a Zonotrichia, which can be narrowed down to Golden-crowned or White-crowned by the crown pattern and unpatterned throat, which can be narrowed down to White-crowned by range. Unless the White-crowneds look markedly different in the east this looks much more like a Golden-crowned to me. It makes no sense in the range, but I also saw someone I follow on instagram post a varied thrush in South Carolina last week, so I'm wondering if the irruption year is driving some Western species east. Ebird is showing some eastern sightings this winter. (I'm probably wrong.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulK Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 4 minutes ago, FishkaFishka said: Thank you! He is back right now, and I can agree that he looks like an immature white-crowned. I can see the stripes on his head more clearly now. I’ve seen the adults here before. He’s a little far north for this time of year, isn’t he? Ah, never mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colton V Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 @PaulK I agree that range isn't the best ID factor because as you mentioned, birds can show up in weird places! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seanbirds Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 This is a White-crowned Sparrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor Cochrane Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 This is a classic leucophrys subspecies White-crowned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishkaFishka Posted February 8, 2021 Author Share Posted February 8, 2021 Thank you, everyone, for the ID! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulK Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 Thanks everyone for correcting my overenthusiasm. I'm used to seeing immature white-crowneds with more parallel stripes on the head, and the median strip being flared out like that looked to me more like a typical golden-crowned. Always good to confirm those field marks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKLland Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 here is an immature golden-crowned, @PaulKhttps://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Golden-crowned_Sparrow/media-browser/64978521 this is an immature white-crowned for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Leukering Posted February 9, 2021 Share Posted February 9, 2021 6 hours ago, Birding Boy said: Definitely White-crowned Definitely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Leukering Posted February 9, 2021 Share Posted February 9, 2021 6 hours ago, PaulK said: This makes no sense but that really looks like a golden-crowned to me Immature GCSP does not have a strong eyeline or, really, any sort of distinct head pattern: ML183157361 Golden-crowned Sparrow Macaulay Library Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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