CHIPPING SPARROW

5 1/2"

FIELD IDENTIFICATION: The Chipping Sparrow is a migrant and winter resident (less common in winter) in Wise County.  Adult breeding plumaged birds have rufous crown, white eyebrow (supercilium), and dark eye stripe that continues to the base of the black beak.  The underside is unstreaked, and the rump is usually gray.  There are two white wing bars.  Adult nonbreeding and immature birds head pattern is browner, and lacks the clean white supercilium.  Immature birds have less rufous than adult nonbreeding.

Adult nonbreeding and immature Chipping Sparrows can be confused with Clay-colored Sparrows, but note that on the Chipping Sparrow, the lores are dark (see the topography page for details on birds' head patterns).

Field I.D. by Claire Curry

Photo by Claire Curry in Greenwood, Texas in the Spring 2001