Savannah vs. Song

[Quiscalus quiscula]

I think if I ever see a Savannah Sparrow, I would think it was a song sparrow. How can you differentiate them???

[kansabirdguy]

14 minutes ago, Quiscalus quiscula said:

I think if I ever see a Savannah Sparrow, I would think it was a song sparrow. How can you differentiate them???

finer streaking on breast on Savannah. longer tail on Song and also bigger beak. Song also tends to have a redder coloration, at least the eastern ones. 

[Quiscalus quiscula]

6 minutes ago, kansabirdguy said:

finer streaking on breast on Savannah. longer tail on Song and also bigger beak. Song also tends to have a redder coloration, at least the eastern ones. 

My problem is that the Song's I've seen don't have very blurry streaking. It might be easier to differentiate them if you lived in the Northwest, where Song Sparrows have very blurry streaking. I also thought there was a reddish morph for Savannah sparrow? Anyway thanks for the tips.

[neilpa]

16 hours ago, Quiscalus quiscula said:

It might be easier to differentiate them if you lived in the Northwest

Most definitely, our Song Sparrows are rather dark. I always do a double take when I see pics of eastern ones since they are quite different.

[The Bird Nuts]

Usually here in the Northeast:  Savannahs have thin pink bills, Songs have thicker gray bills.  Savannahs are tan on white while Songs are rich brown on grayish.  Savannahs have tan cheeks and yellow supralorals while adult Songs have gray cheeks and supercilia.

[Quiscalus quiscula]

4 minutes ago, The Bird Nuts said:

Usually here in the Northeast:  Savannahs have thin pink bills, Songs have thicker gray bills.  Savannahs are tan on white while Songs are rich brown on grayish.  Savannahs have tan cheeks and yellow supralorals while adult Songs have gray cheeks and supercilia.

Very good tips, thanks.