Grasshopper Sparrow Bird – Passerines – 5/3/2017

The Grasshopper Sparrow was photographed at Lake Park north of Bradford Beach in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Select this link to see a photo album of the Grasshopper Sparrow, next select slideshow

A little sparrow of open fields with a short sharp tail, flat head, yellow shoulder, and with a crown that is median striped with chestnut and black. It differs from other sparrows of the prairie in having a relatively unstriped buffy breast. The bird’s song is similar to the sound of a grasshopper. It can be found from Southern Canada to the Southern United States in prairie type habitats. Its habitat is grasslands, hayfields, and prairies. Its diet is mostly insects and seeds. It almost always forages for food alone.

 

 

Clay-Colored Sparrow Bird – Passerines – 10/10/2010 to 5/14/2017

The Clay-Colored Sparrow was photographed at Bender Park in Oak Creek, Wisconsin

Select this link to see photos of the Clay-Colored Sparrow

The Clay-Colored Sparrow is a small pale brown sparrow with a plain breast, a light crown stripe, an outlined ear patch, brownish rump, and a clean gray nape. It has a range from west and central Canada to north central United States. It has a habitat of scrub, brushy prairies, and Jack Pines. It is found perched in thickets. It has a diet of mostly seeds and insects. It is very close in looks to a Chipping Sparrow and is hard to distinguish.

 

 

Lark Sparrow Bird – Passerines – 8/22/2016

This Lark Sparrow was photographed at Samuel Myers Park in Racine, Wisconsin.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Lark Sparrow

One of the larger Sparrows, the Lark Sparrow has a bold chestnut-white-black striped head pattern, striped crown, dark tail, pink legs, and a mostly clear breast except for a central spot. It has a range from south Canada to northern Mexico. It has a habitat of open country with bushes, trees, and pastures, farms, and roadsides. Its diet is mostly seeds and insects.

Select this link to see where the Lake Sparrow photo was taken

 

 

American Tree Sparrow Bird – Passerines – 5/16/2010 to 6/18/2016

This American Tree Sparrow was photographed at the Lake Express High Speed Ferry in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the American Tree Sparrow

The American Tree Sparrow is brown above with two white wing bars, and yellow below with a dark spot on the breast. It has a red brown cap, and a bill with the top darker and yellow below. Despite its name, it is not particularly associated with trees. It has a range of Alaska and Northern Canada, and resides the farthest North of any of its relatives. It has a habitat of arctic scrub, willow thickets, brushy roadsides, weedy edges, marshes, and feeders. It feeds mostly on seeds and insects. It often comes to feeders with Dark-Eyed Juncos.

 

Swamp Sparrow Bird – Passerines – 4/26/2014

This Swamp Sparrow was photographed at the Wehr Nature Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Swamp Sparrow

The Swamp Sparrow is a dark rusty sparrow with a dull gray breast, an outlined white throat, and a rusty-reddish cap. It has a range east of the Rockies from Canada to the Gulf Coast. It has a habitat in marshes with tussocks, bushes, or cattails, and sedgy swamps. The diet is mostly insects and seeds. It is usually a solitary sulker in dense cover.

 

Field Sparrow Bird – Passerines – 10/1/2012

This darker Field Sparrow was photographed at Lake Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

This lighter Field Sparrow was photographed in Marshfield, Missouri.

This is a gray Field Sparrow photographed in Bender Park in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.

This juvenile Field Sparrow was photographed at Whitnall park in Milwaukee County.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Field Sparrow

The Field Sparrow has a rusty cap with rufous striped upper parts, clear breast, a white-eye ring, a long slender tail, and less notable facial striping with a stout pink bill. Depending on the time of the year it may have darker or lighter coloring. A juvenile Field sparrow has a finely streaked breast. There is also a gray adult Field Sparrow that is worn and faded. They range from southeastern Canada and the eastern half of the United States. They have a habitat of brushy pastures, brush, and scrub. They have a diet of seeds and insects. It forages on the ground or in low vegetation.

 

Chipping Sparrow Bird – Passerines – 7/15/2012

This Chipping Sparrow was photographed at a small sub-division in Pittsboro, North Carolina

 

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Chipping Sparrow

The Chipping Sparrow is a small gray-breasted sparrow with a bright rufous cap, a black line through the eye, and a white line over it. A gray rump usually can distinguish it, if it can be seen. The sexes are similar. It has a range over Canada, and the United States to Nicaragua. It habitats open woods, conifers, orchards, farms, and towns. The diet is mostly insects and seeds.

 

Song Sparrow Bird – Passerines – 5/3/2010

The Song Sparrow was photographed at the Wehr Nature Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Song Sparrow

The Song Sparrow is noted by heavy breast streaks that form to a large central spot. It is known for it’s song from trees or bushes of 3 to 4 bright repetitious notes. They can vary widely in color and size. Their range is from Alaska, Canada to Central Mexico. The diet is mostly insects and seeds. Seen very widespread in North America.

 

White Crowned Sparrow – passerines – 11/20/2009

The White Crowned “Ghostly” Sparrow can be seen in Canada and the States, but rarely in Florida or the SE coast. Photo shot in the fall in Marshfield, Missouri.

This White-Crowned Sparrow was photographed during spring migration at the Wehr Nature Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Photo was shot in the fall on the shoreline north of Bradford Beach in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Note the gray crown coloring on this White-Crowned Sparrow.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the White Crowned Sparrow

Identification of this sparrow is a clear grayish breast, a striped black and white crown, and a pink bill. They are stunning to see, as the sparrow is so bright looking compared to other sparrows. It hops about and seems to always hide itself behind brush, or limbs and leaves. When I photographed the sparrow photo above I thought something was wrong, as the colors appeared faded out or ghostly. It took some time to figure out it was the bright white color glaring in the sunlight.

The White-Crowned Sparrow can be seen across Canada and the States, but is rarely seen in Florida or the east coast. It likes a habitat of brush, edges, tangles, and roadsides. I have seen them in brush and dense tangles, where they are constantly appearing to hide. In this case there were thorns making it difficult to reach them for viewing and photographing.

 

White – Throated Sparrow – passerines 10/27/2009

The White-Throated Sparrow can be seen in Canada to the Gulf States, and the Midwest to the Eastern States.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the White-Throated Sparrow

A gray breasted sparrow with a white throat patch, and a yellow spot between the eye and bill. It has habitats at thickets, brush, undergrowth of conifer and mixed woodlands, and patronizes feeders. These attached photos were taken at most of the locations. Because of the birds movements, one has to be ready and fast to get a photo.