Fox sparrow? I can't see the picture too well, but your description sounds like one.

Here is a link that might be useful:

It kind of looks like the female House Finches we get at our feeders.

Thanks guys! I'm thinking it is likely the Fox Sparrow Elly mentioned. My bird has the same brown/gray stripe by the eye, which the House Finch doesn't seem to have.

-Ginni, totally forgot that the female HF has a wavy streaked breast pattern too! There are only a couple house finches around here, so I don't always get a chance to get a close look at them.
Thanks again
CMK

Also, Fox sparrows do the ground shuffle. : )

Song sparrow. The head stripes are much more pronounced in the bird pictured and the breast spot is dark black. A fox sparrow would have less distinct crown/head stripes approaching solid in some color forms. Also, the breast spot of a fox sparrow would be more brown/rusty. Song sparrows often hold their tail up like a wren, something I haven't seen a fox sparrow do. Further, the stripe on the side of the head is much more pronouced than a fox sparrow would exhibit, except in the red fox sparrow (rufous race). However, this bird is not nearly rusty colored enough to be a "red" fox sparrow. Song Sparrows also shuffle their feed when foraging in leaf litter or under feeders.

BN

I hope you don't take offense but just where in those pics is the bird? I tried some prescription glasses. I tried a magnifier. Nope. :-) Can't see it.

The Juncos around my house also shuffle.

I am quite sure this is a song sparrow. Note the central black spot on his chest. Hope this helps from North Carolina.

I would agree it does seem to be a song sparrow. They have that black spot.

I cropped the bird in the first picture and brightened it up a little bit.

I slid the 2nd pic to Irfanview on my comp and outlined the same area as your cropping. Then blew it way up from there; finally saw it.

BN, that was really great description/comparison between the two. Thanks much for your input. Think you, Jan, and beegood are right on about it being a song sparrow!

-mxyplx, maybe a new prescription is in order??? ;-)

This guy isn't a Junco, but don't you just love those little guys? Never used to have them (or at least see them) around this particular area until a few years ago. Now they are all over the place and I am very glad of it! Think the ones around here may be the Oregon Junco...
CMK

It's been an eye opener.

I still can't see the picture. I was going on the op description.

Fox sparrows also, on first glance, seem much bigger than other sparrows.

song sparrow, for sure

I get lots of song sparrows each winter and love their song. They also love the millet seed!

Definitely a song sparrow. We have lots of them here.