[birdky] BKY: Solution to sparrow photo ...

From: brainard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: BIRDKY <birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 7 Nov 2011 18:37:03 -0500 (GMT-05:00)
 body{font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,sans-serif;background-color:#f=
fffff;color:black;}p{margin:0px;} The sparrow photographed by Ed Talbott in
Madison County in late Octo= ber at this link:
http://www.pbase.com/aquilaet/image/139388125 is a Swamp = Sparrow. If the
link does not work, it is most likely because of a "[1]" at= the end that
needs to be deleted.
The posture of the bird is partic= ularly unusual, and makes some field
markshard to discern and others relat= ively misleading.

Two alternatives to Swamp Sparrow were proposed by= respondents. The first
was Lincoln's, due primarily to the distinct streak= ing on the sides of the
breast. It is unclear how much the angle of the sun= is accentuating this
streaking, but it is about the only thing that is rea= lly suggestive of
Lincoln's. The back and head pattern are different.
The bird that most proposed as an alternative to Swamp was Henslow's Spar=
row. Again, the angle of the bird in the photo really makes it difficult to=
discern with some degree of certainty a few things about the bird. Also, t=
he bill is open, making it somewhat difficult to determine size of the bill=
... Henslow's would have a much larger bill than Swamp. The tail feathers =
appear quite pointy, but Swamp Sparrow tail feather tips are not particular=
ly blunt, and they can get worn because of the birds' habits of skulking in=
thick weeds and grasses. The head pattern is superficially similar to Hens=
low's, but the pattern of the crown (barely visible) of dark sides and brow=
n central stripe match Swamp. Also, the dark eyeline extends all the way to=
the eye. The olivey color of the head is superficially similar to Henslow'=
s, but not dissimilar from a hatch year Swamp Sparrow. Also, the rufous and=
dark back pattern is more similar to Swamp. The bird also appears to have =
an eye-ring, but all songbirds have a feathered orbital ring; some have dis=
tinctively colored ones (particularly white) that make them noticeable. I b=
elieve the sun angle here makes it look like this bird has an eye-ring that=
may be colored differently than the other olivey portions of the face. Als=
o, while the flanks have a strong olive wash, there are not distinctive str=
eaks. Again about the breast streaking, it would not typically be that bold=
on a Swamp Sparrow and I can only think that maybe sun angle is playing tr=
icks here.

In summary, it is really amazing how the posture of this = bird as it
prepares to duck into the vegetation below made its identificati= on so
ambiguous! Additional comments are welcome.

bpb



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[birdky] BKY: Solution to sparrow photo ...

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