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What is this finch-sized bird?


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Sick of buteos for now, but still going down memory lane.  I captured exactly 2 frames of this bird--this is the better one.  I clearly hadn't mastered photography back then.  This little guy was seen at DeSoto NWR near Missouri Valley, IA, waaay back in August 2015.  A vireo perhaps?

IJ8A2262a.jpg

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I've seen lots of Chipping Sparrows, so I dunno why this didn't look like one to me.  The bill appears quite sharp and pointy, more like a finch's and less like a sparrow's.  Since the bill isn't black then it's a non-breeding adult/immature? And then there's the scissor tail...

 

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1 hour ago, smittyone@cox.net said:

I've seen lots of Chipping Sparrows, so I dunno why this didn't look like one to me.  The bill appears quite sharp and pointy, more like a finch's and less like a sparrow's.  Since the bill isn't black then it's a non-breeding adult/immature? And then there's the scissor tail...

 

The bird appears to be missing some tail feathers. Bill color is variable, based on its plumage it appears to be a breeding adult. Definitely a Chipping Sparrow.

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