Mislabeled fox sparrow?

[pdx_bird]

This might be the wrong place to post this...feel free to move to the right place, but I wanted to get input on this Adobe stock image of a "Thick-billed Fox Sparrow", to me it looks more like a Song Sparrow - central breast spot, streaky face, gray supercilium. Says the photo was taken at Leo Carrillo State Park near Malibu, California.

I'm attaching a screen-shot and including the link. Thoughts? Anyone know which subspecies of Song Sparrow if so? (guessing California Coast).

Link here: https://stock.adobe.com/search?as_channel=dpcft&as_source=ft_web&as_campaign=www_interception&as_campclass=brand&as_content=lp_search&k=thick-billed+fox+sparrow&asset_id=90777979

[akandula]

Yes, this is a Song Sparrow. Note the coarse streaks, broad malar stripe, central breast spot, a long, rounded tail, and rounded head. "Thick-billed" Fox Sparrows would be larger and bulkier, have coarser streaking, have grayer upperparts and only have reddish wings and tail.

Try not to rely on these sort of webistes/google images for reliable IDs. More accurate pictures can be found at ebird, Cornell, Audubon, WhatBird, Birds of North America, Wikipedia, etc.

Edited September 1, 2019 by akandula

[The Bird Nuts]

Yep, that's a Song Sparrow.  Stock photo websites are great places to find misidentified birds...?

Edited September 1, 2019 by The Bird Nuts

[Charlie Spencer]

11 minutes ago, The Bird Nuts said:

Yep, that's a Song Sparrow.  Stock photo websites are great places to find misidentified birds...?

Google searches, too.

[pdx_bird]

15 minutes ago, akandula said:

Yes, this is a Song Sparrow. Note the coarse streaks, broad malar stripe, central breast spot, a long, rounded tail, and rounded head. "Thick-billed" Fox Sparrows would be larger and bulkier, have coarser streaking, have grayer upperparts and only have reddish wings and tail.

Try not to rely on these sort of webistes/google images for reliable IDs. More accurate pictures can be found at ebird, Cornell, Audubon, WhatBird, Birds of North America, Wikipedia, etc.

Totally! I definitely use Cornell as my main go-to bird ID site, unfortunately this stock photo is being used in a bird guide book to represent a Fox Sparrow. ?

Thank you all for confirming!

Edited September 1, 2019 by pdx_bird

[The Bird Nuts]

1 minute ago, pdx_bird said:

I definitely use Cornell as my main go-to bird ID site, unfortunately this stock photo is being used in a bird guide book to represent a Fox Sparrow. ?

Wow....that is sad.

[akandula]

26 minutes ago, pdx_bird said:

Anyone know which subspecies of Song Sparrow if so?

Okay, I researched a lot, and there happens to be more than 20 subspecies of Song Sparrow! Since the subspecies are very similar and not easily differentiated, based on range, this Song Sparrow is most likely part of the heermanni group.

Around that range, the subspecies of Fox Sparrow (which are much more easily told apart) is the Thick-billed, adding to the confusion.

[pdx_bird]

1 hour ago, akandula said:

Okay, I researched a lot, and there happens to be more than 20 subspecies of Song Sparrow! Since the subspecies are very similar and not easily differentiated, based on range, this Song Sparrow is most likely part of the heermanni group.

Around that range, the subspecies of Fox Sparrow (which are much more easily told apart) is the Thick-billed, adding to the confusion.

Yes! Heermanni looks correct! Thank you!