Another one I am having trouble with...

[bernie2112]

Greetings!
I do not know if I should post these separately or in one post: I chose the latter (hopefully correctly).

This particular fellow is challenging my sparrow knowledge! Any help would be greatly appreciated.



Cheers,

Bernie

[Brian Bailey]

That looks like a Savannah Sparrow to me.  They can be difficult to separate from a Song Sparrow from that angle, but the bill is very pointy.  What can be seen of the face pattern looks more like a Savannah, and there appears to be a bit of a yellow tinge as well.  (The amount of yellow on Savannahs is highly variable.)  Also the median wing coverts look a bit more patterned than I would expect in a Song Sparrow.

BB

[bernie2112]

Many thanks.

Cheers,

Bernie

[DavidB]

I think you've got either a song sparrow or lincoln's. I would expect tail length to be shorter in savannah, also tertials tend to be approx same lenth as outer primaries on folded wing.
Without seeing the front of the bird, being sure is difficult. I don't think I would rule out either song or lincoln's from your photo, but personally i'd lean towards song based on the generally indistinct eye ring and fairly heavy malar stripe (aka moustache).
Any other thoughts folks?

[Iain]

I have to agree with David here and suggest that the above is a typical Eastern Song Sparrow.  The amount of rufous colouring on the wing is very typical of Eastern Song Sparrow and atypical of Eastern Savannah.  Also, I don't see the yellow tinge that is usually present on Eastern Savannah's (see below).

Savannah Sparrows - Note yellow supraloral and lack of rufous wing patch

[GStuart]

Note:  this is just a suggestion as I am no expert and there is a wide variety shown within many species of sparrow.

However, according to the couple of guides I looked at and from my memory of those I've seen in the field, Savannah Sparrow has a pinkish hue to its bill.  And while the upper mandible may be grey, the lower seems to always have a pink cast.  I would also shy away from Savannah Sparrow because I feel that the crest is too reddish and is more in line with Song Sparrow.

I tend to think of Lincoln's Sparrow as having a much more grey face.  Then again, I have long ago learned that one can't always trust that the colours in a photograph are actually accurate.  But I would (somewhat tentatively) submit that the bird is a Song Sparrow.

Say, he asked, using his standard line for Empid flycatchers, did you hear it sing?

[Brian Bailey]

Hmm.  On second thought, I agree on the bill colour.  You should be able to see some pink, at least on the lower mandible, of a Savannah.  The wing colour is definitely on the rusty end of what could be expected for a Savannah, but both species are variable enough that I wouldn't rule it out.

In my experience, Lincolns are much less variable.  I think the grey on the face would be quite noticeable, even from that angle.

BB