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Help ID this bird?

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Can anyone tell me what kind of bird this is?

Featured Answer

gyr_falcon

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Both Claire and I are in New England.

This post comment was why I thought the photo was of an eastern sparrow. Still, I live in California, and had this Harris's sparrow visited my yard. So they can wander; but Montana would be within normal range.

I don't believe it is a Lincoln's sparrow. Their side/breast stripes are very narrow/thin, the chin is whitish and photo's white cheek marking tends to be buff in color on a Lincoln's.

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Comments (11)

claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
6 years ago
Maybe a White-crowned Sparrow?

Claire
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Mary, where did you see it? I agree that a white crowned sparrow is definitely a contender. Both Claire and I are in New England.
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Hi Rachel, Sorry - I live in eastern Massachusetts, 7 miles north of Boston and I live in a suburb with a little wooded area bordering my backyard, and a wildlife reservation and ponds about 1/2 a mile away (I am very fortunate!). It has been very cold here the last few days and we got our first dusting of snow yesterday. I have seen different kinds of birds here within a mile of the house - woodpeckers, hawks, swans, geese, the common feeder birds, we even have a heron who flies back and forth over our neighborhood every day - so we do get a variety of birds. We definitely do have house sparrows, but these little guys I saw yesterday were not those. They were just about a solid brown from where I could see. No striping or definitive marks. They just hopped around eating stray sunflower seeds. I've gone through photos of species, both genders and juvenile appearances, on the internet and in my books, and I am not sure what this bird was. The only even remote possibilities I could come up with were: field sparrow; junco; and female indigo bunting. If you have thoughts on this I would be most appreciative. Thanks, Donna P.S. Your last set of photos was, as always, astounding. Congrats on your new lifer!
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gyr_falcon
6 years ago
Eastern sparrows are not what I am familiar with, but it appears to me to share more characteristics with a Harris's Sparrow https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris%27s_sparrow#/media/File:Harris's_Sparrow_(14u0779_std)_(cropped).jpg
Mary Shipp
Original Author
6 years ago
It was seen in central Montana. I was wondering if it was a white crowned sparrow. Thank you everyone!!!
catherinet
6 years ago
But I don't see a white crown.
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
6 years ago
What I'm seeing is a white stripe above the eye:

Mary's bird:

Compare to All About Birds' White-crowned Sparrow:

There are some differences in the neck under the bill so I'm not certain, but it looks possible to me.

Claire
whwo
6 years ago
It is a Harris's Sparrow, not a White-crowned Sparrow.
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I defer to whwo who knows much more than I do about birds.

Cornell's All About Birds site has some good pictures of the Harris's Sparrow.

Definitely not an eastern sparrow.

Claire

edit note: The video I linked to on All About Birds shows the head markings very clearly and they seem to be consistent with Mary's bird. The video also shows the sparrow hanging around with some really neat other birds.
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
6 years ago
I thought the body markings seem to fit a Savannah or Harris Sparrow but the head markings are a bit off. I'm leaning towards Lincoln's Sparrow.

tj
whwo
6 years ago
Definitely not a Lincoln's. It's a Harris's Sparrow. This species is known for its ability to show up outside it's normal range. Here in eastern WA, we usually get one or two show up every winter. Central Montana is definitely in the "expected" range of this species.

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