This is the time of the year that new birders can become confused by the language more experienced birders use. For instances, your leader may see a bird flitting around in the bush and call it a butter-butt, which is a nickname for Yellow-rumped Warbler. Yellow-rumped Warbler is a mouthful, thus the nickname for this winter warbler with a yellow rump. Another common short cut is applied to a group of species that show up in good numbers in the winter. That term is LBJ (little-brown-job) which refers to all those brown sparrows that grace our fields and woods this time of the year.
New birders often make the mistake of trying to identify sparrows visually. But this can be very frustrating because, except for a few species, sparrows don’t stay in view long enough to see the necessary field marks. Most of the time the bird will be zipping from one hiding place to another and/or will be flying away from you. However, by doing a little homework ahead of time it is possible to narrow down the possibilities fairly quickly. Here are few tips for identifying those LBJs.
1. Know what species are most likely to be seen in the area and study them carefully.
First, become familiar with the most common winter species. In this area, the LBJs most often encountered are the song and white-throated sparrows. Most folks think they know what these birds look like but don’t be fooled. The white-throated sparrow has at least two plumage variations; juveniles may not have a white throat; and few birds will have the yellow in front of their eyes. And although we have one subspecies of Song Sparrow breeding in the area, there are 29 identified subspecies, which exhibit a wide range of plumages. And a large number of them winter in our area. Three or four different subspecies in a bush could give the impression they are several different species.
Other sparrows one can expect to encounter are in our area include Chipping, Field, Savannah, Swamp and Fox. Although these birds are relatively easy to ID in the breeding season, winter plumages can vary greatly, especially on juveniles. The Savannah Sparrow is another species with several subspecies with variable plumages.
One last comment about sparrow plumage. Don’t rely on a chest spot to identify a bird. Almost any sparrow can appear to have a chest spot. Weather conditions, lighting, plumage stage and even feather condition can produce what appears to be a spot on a bird. Although most of the sparrows we see in the winter are some shade of brown, white and gray, the pattern on each bird is unique to the species. Crowns, tails, face patterns, & wing bars are much more important diagnostics than a chest spot.
2. Make sure it’s a sparrow.
There are other species of birds that are small and brown such as wrens, finches, creepers, and Hermit Thrushes. However, they will have very different shapes, bills, habits and habitat preferences. Females of many species, such as the Red-winged Blackbirds, are also streaky and brown. So, it’s important to know what these species look like as well. Sparrows do have a distinct body and bill shape. Take a good look at those characteristics.
3. Learn the common chip notes or calls of the wintering birds.
The sounds the birds make are also important. This time of the year the birds aren’t singing territorial songs, but they are still very vocal. Each species has a set of calls and/or chips unique to the species. Although hard to describe, the song sparrows have several vocalizations that easily identify the bird. But the only way to really learn these vocalizations is to be out in the field looking at and listening to the different birds. Once you become familiar with the common sparrows in the area, the more unusual birds such as Lincoln, Lark or White-crowned Sparrows, will stand out. But even then, you need to note not just what the bird looks like, but where the bird is, how it is acting and what it is saying.
4. Become familiar with habitat preferences.
Although sparrows are essentially ground feeders, where that ground is, is important to them. Swamp sparrows want to be around water, while Savannah sparrows prefer open fields with areas of short grass. You won’t usually find these species together except when a pond or wet area is located in the middle of a field. Chipping Sparrows also like open fields but prefer those with pine trees/bushes around the edges for a quick getaway. You won’t find a Saltmarsh or Seaside Sparrow in Charlotte area because as their name implies, they want to be in salt marshes. Sparrows use the same habitat whether they are on their breeding or wintering ranges. Although any bird can show up anywhere, 99.9% of a species will winter within their normal range. Outside that range they are considered a rarity.
Common Sparrow Habits/Habitats
Song Sparrows will sing throughout the year, but infrequently in the winter, and their winter song may be different from the breeding song. Although they tend to stay in dense vegetation, they are not generally difficult to see, and often respond to vigorous pishing by ‘teeing’ up on a strong grass stalk or small bush. They are usually found in loose small flocks, often associating with other sparrows. Their flight is jerky, not strong and their long tail is characteristically flipped to one side and pumped in flight. Generally found in open brushy habitats, often along the borders of ponds or streams, abandoned pastures, thickets or woodland edge, tall weedy fields, marshes, moist ravines and brush piles.
Chipping Sparrows forage both in trees and on the ground. In winter they frequently occur in large, loose flocks feeding in short grass or bare ground. They prefer dry, open woodlands or woodland edges with grassy understory, orchards, parks, golf courses. Occasionally they will appear under your feeders if your neighborhood habitat is appropriate.
Field Sparrows are often solitary or in small flocks (often of mixed species composition) in winter. They are not generally difficulty to see and respond to pishing. As their name implies, they prefer old fields with scattered bushes, thickets and brushy edges.
White-throated sparrows are generally found in loose flocks or small groups, sometimes in mixed species flocks. When flushed, they may fly up into a small nearby tree where they are easily seen. A brushland birds often found in dense deciduous thickets or brush piles, often in woodland edges. This is also common backyard sparrow if you have feeders.
Savannah Sparrows generally feed on the ground, but they may glean insects from branch tips. They are generally not difficult to see, but flush readily if you get to close. Their flight is strong and direct. When flushed they frequently perch in a small bush, tree or stalks. They are not usually found in mixed flocks. They are birds of open country, grassy meadows, cultivated fields, lightly grazed pastures, roadside edges, and coastal grasslands.
Swamp Sparrows characteristically fly only short distances. They are not difficult to flush and respond readily to pishing. As their name implies, they can be found in wet areas with dense vegetation, often in low, open and wet areas, at the edge of ponds or flooded fields.
Fox Sparrows are large sparrows and not as common in our area as other sparrows. They can be found in small, loose flocks and sometimes individually in backyards. Their flight is strong and direct, but when flushed they may fly from bush to bush with a nervous jerking of the tail. They feed on the ground, often using a double-scratch method; often they can be heard scratching among dried leaves. In the winter they are usually found in low, moist areas with tall brush, and brush piles, often at the woodland edge.
House Sparrows are technically not sparrows but weaver finches from Africa/Europe that were introduced to the US in the mid-1800s. They definitely are LBJs we often overlook. They are closely associated with human habitation (a.k.a. fast food parking lots) but can and do appear at feeders. Highly gregarious, noisy flocks can be found gleaning food whereever they can find it. Their plumages vary greatly throughout the year.
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