Field Sparrow

Spizella pusilla

This is not a Song Sparrow or Lincoln Sparrow because of the unstreaked breast. It is also clearly not a Harris's Sparrow nor a White-Throated Sparrow, because of obvious dissimilarities. Lacking the face pattern, it is not a Vesper Sparrow, and missing the eye-streak, it is not a Chipping Sparrow.

This may be a Field Sparrow. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology webpage has this description:

* Small sparrow.
* Dully marked.
* Unstreaked chest.
* Reddish cap.
* Gray face with thin white eyering.
* Bill pink.

* Size: 12-15 cm (5-6 in)
* Wingspan: 20 cm (8 in)
* Weight: 11-15 g (0.39-0.53 ounces)

Sibley (The Sibley Field Guide to Eastern North America, p. 176), "Overall rufous and gray with complete white eye-ring and entirely pink bill distinctive."

Lockwood & Freeman (194) report, "This species is a common to uncommon migrant and winter resident throughout most of the state." Tveten (354) simply comments that the Field Sparrow is one of several sparrows that occur in addition to the more frequent Chipping Sparrow.


This is Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Field Sparrow.

Picture taken with a Nikon D90 using a Nikon 400mm f/4.5.

December 30, 2010.