Warren, Definite American Pipit. The overall color is much buffier brown on Sprague's, the face is very bland on Sprague's with the dark eye really standing out with distinct crown streaking. The only streaking below is a narrow band that forms a necklace, the flanks are unmarked, and the back is boldly streaked with pale braces in Sprague's. There are several other distinctions, but these stand out from your shot. One thing that is dead giveaway if you are watching a pipit feed, American does that typical pipit tail-bobbing, Sprague's doesn't do this. When you see the legs well, they are obviously pink on Sprague's. Here are a couple of Sprague's shots for comparison. Mike Todd McKenzie, TN www.pbase.com/mctodd birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ________________________________ From: "birdglass44@xxxxxxx" <birdglass44@xxxxxxx> To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Sunday, February 2, 2014 9:37 AM Subject: [TN-Bird] Cades Cove (GSMNP, Blount County) pipit Yesterday I had 31 species in Cades Cove. I didn't see the Short-eared owl by the time I had to leave at 5 PM. In the morning there were 4 Wilson snipe, 8 Killdeer, 7 American robins and a single pipit in the first field on the left past the entrance gate. I ID's the pipit as American but after looking at photos wonder if it could have been a Sprague's. Any comments are appreciated. Thanks, Warren Bielenberg Maryville
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