Answer to Pop BirdQuiz 7: New Jersey, December

OK, so here we have a pair of sparrows (or sparrow-like birds), based on their bill and overall drab colors. One way to start the analysis is to begin with habitat; after all, habitat should strongly influence our expectations when we are out birding. When I am in the field, I begin by anticipating the birds that I will be seeing at that location and at that time of year.  Those expectations might turn out to be wrong, but its a great starting point. Keeping that in mind, in this photo we can see sand, shells, and weeds, typical of a beach wrackline, and this photo was taken in December.  The list of sparrows that are expected under these conditions is limited.  Moving on to plumage, one of the first things we’ll probably notice is that these birds display an overall lightness compared to most sparrows, especially on their uppersides.  What other identification points can we use? Well, with sparrows, the presence or absence of streaking on the breast is a good place to start, and these birds have fairly extensive and neat streaking, which eliminates nearly half of our sparrows. A final important plumage characteristic is a hint of yellow on the lores, between the eye and the bill. Species such as White-throated Sparrow and Seaside Sparrow can have yellow lores, but they either lack the extensive streaking or the overall light color of these birds. The combination of yellow lores and extensive streaking point toward a single species, Savannah Sparrow.

But wait a minute….aren’t Savannah Sparrows much darker?  Yes, the typical species, shown in the comparison photo below, has much darker streaking, and overall has darker plumage, but a sub-species of Savannah Sparrow, the ‘Ipswich’ Savannah Sparrow is characterized by lighter and more muted colors. AND “Ipswich” Sparrows are typically found on beaches, where their lighter color helps them to blend in when they are feeding in the brush or wracklines.  The lesson for today: don’t ignore habitat…it can be an important clue. Here’s a closer view of one of today’s quiz birds perched on a nearby rock and a comparison with a more typical Savannah Sparrow.

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The amount of yellow on the lores can be variable in Savannah Sparrows, and that is true for the Ipswich sub-species. Here’s an Ipswich Savannah Sparrow with brilliant yellow lores.