Hi: I would be curious if any birders from western Montana, Utah, Idaho or
Alberta would consider this bird a strange looking Song Sparrow. If it is
strange to them, then I would think a CA bird is better solution. Based on
zero reliable evidence, just me using Search Photo feature in ebird, the
rufous coloring in montana is fairly reliable, but I can find more brown/ black
the farther east I search. Alberta has a different ssp but looked similar. I
have not given up on it being montana yet. Though the lack of any rufous in
stripes and malar is a huge issue for it being montana, from my view.
Anyone know anybody in the interior west?
Bob Archer
On Mar 5, 2019, at 11:31 AM, David Irons <LLSDIRONS@xxxxxxx> wrote:
In private and back channel
discussions about this bird multiple people have raised the possibility
that it might of the subspecies M. m. heermanni, which is a relatively
sedentary population in central to southern California. I had considered this
as a possibility, as heermanni seems to be a good match in terms of
appearance. Interestingly, there is a virtually identical bird wintering
along Bond Lane near the Eugene Airport. It seems unlikely that non-migratory
birds would wander north in Fall from California, but perhaps there was a
weather or fire-related dispersal. I like the fact that this bird has created
so much interest.
Dave Irons
Beaverton, OR
