Sparrows That Are Not Just "Little Brown Birds"

Featuring Chipping Sparrows and Lark Sparrows

Chipping Sparrows are generally easier to find in the desert during the winter but they are in southern Arizona year-round. They generally move a little higher in elevation during breeding season. At my recent visit to Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary, with an elevation of 4100 feet, the Chipping Sparrows were there in numbers and in bright breeding plumage.

Chipping Sparrows are slender birds with long tails, a smallish bill, a bright rufous crown and a black eye-stripe. The bird's un-streaked gray belly gives it a clean look. The Chipping Sparrow gets its name from the 'chip' notes of its song. For more on how Chipping Sparrows develop their songs, listen to Birdnote:

From the AllAboutBirds website: The early naturalists had a gift for description you just don’t see anymore. In 1929, Edward Forbush called the Chipping Sparrow “the little brown-capped pensioner of the dooryard and lawn, that comes about farmhouse doors to glean crumbs shaken from the tablecloth by thrifty housewives.”

The other common sparrow that morning was the Lark Sparrow. Look at the face below and you will not think that this is a plain "little brown bird"! It is not little, coming in at almost twice the weight of a Chipping Sparrow and almost an inch longer. But that face sets the Lark Sparrow apart from just about every other sparrow.

The Lark Sparrow's face is a dramatic chestnut, white and black pattern that is often described as "harlequin". In addition, it has a chestnut patch behind the eye and then a black spot on its plain white chest.

Generally you'll find these sparrows in open or grassy fields. They feed on the ground looking for either insects or seeds.

Birdnote tells us that the Lark Sparrow is definitely not a "little brown bird."

Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary is always a good place to visit. While it is a two hour ride from my home in Tucson, I always drive away thinking that I should visit there more often.

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Coming up, a very special Cardinal that I saw!!