American Tree Sparrow: May Backyard Sparrows (2)

Two native sparrows that migrate through my Saskatchewan backyard, American Tree Sparrows and Chipping Sparrows, look very much alike. To me, at least. Both are grey and brown with red-capped heads...

But the Tree Sparrow a rufus/red eye line, The Sibley Guide to Birds explains, and the Chipping Sparrow has a black eye line, with white above it... And the Tree Sparrow has a two-coloured beak, yellow and black, while the Chipping Sparrow's beak is black alone... And the Tree Sparrow has a bit more colour on its breast... And...

In any case, the post below features a Chipping Sparrow, my first backyard Regina sparrow for May. And here is an American Tree Sparrow:

American Tree Sparrow - with rufus eye line and half yellow beak © SB

What is this? American Tree Sparrow.

Location: North of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.  

Photo date: April 29, 2013.

~~~~~

Chipping Sparrow: May Backyard Sparrows, Regina, SK (1)

Several Chipping Sparrows have pecked around our yard in Regina, Saskatchewan, this month, and that's the first backyard Saskatchewan bird for my May list.

Chipping Sparrows, to me, look like American Tree Sparrows — or vice versa. Both have sparrow brown markings and red heads, but while Tree Sparrows have red lines by their eyes, Chipping Sparrows have black lines. (Yes, I know; a proper ornithologist would provide a more detailed, technical explanations and mention details like the Tree Sparrow's half yellow beak, but a proper ornithologist, I am not.)

The Chipping Sparrow, with its red cap. © SB 

The Chipping Sparrow winters in the southern U.S., and summers in the rest of the U.S. and in Canada. Sensible migration!

I was intrigued to learn that some call them the "Hairbird" because of their habit of lining their nests with hair — smart birds! Audubon Birds (the app that's linked to eBird) says horse hair was a former favourite, but as Chipping Sparrows rarely see horses these days, they have been seen to "pluck strands from the coat of a sleeping dog." (I must brush my yellow dog Ginger more; when I brushed her a few days ago, I put her shed hair in a cleft of lilac branches and it soon vanished — though I doubt this lovely redhead took that prize.)

What is this? Chipping Sparrow .

Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.  

Photo date: May 17, 2013.

~~~~~