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The Biggest Differences Between Song and Savannah Sparrows
A close look at these two doppelg盲ngers shows some key contrasts in markings and song.
Editor's Note:听After learning about serious allegations against Jason Ward, the 香港六合开奖记录听has severed听its ties with him.
Look over there! Quick!
Ah, you missed it.
Sparrows鈥攐r听"little brown birds" (LBBs) as birders like to call them鈥攁re tricky like that. They're always zooming听in and out of bushes, confounding onlookers听with their bland feathers and busy听chatter.听
That shorthand, however, fails to capture the beauty of North America's sparrows. There are more than听40 species here in the States:听from the svelte听Brewer's Sparrow听to the bulky, skulking听Eastern Towhee听to the invasive, pervasive听House Sparrows.
This听diversity can be hard to appreciate听because sparrows like their privacy. Unlike many other songbirds, they听forage for seeds in the underbrush and avoid flaunting flashy colors during breeding season. So if you do spot one out in the open, act fast with your binoculars; before you can blink, the听birds will听dive right back into the tall grasses or shrubs, never to be seen again.
Tackling the common LBBs听is听a fun way to challenge yourself and sharpen your birding skills. With a little patience and a keen eye and ear, you will soon have your sparrows down to a science. Let's start things off with听two common, similar-looking sparrows that could be hanging around your home right now: the Song Sparrow and Savannah Sparrow. Click around the photos to uncover details about their best fieldmarks. (Because markings vary by geography, your local birds might not look exactly like the ones in the images.)
Song Sparrow
Other notes:听Nailing this ID is paramount听to learning听your other听sparrow听species; it's the easiest to pick out or eliminate听out of the long list of possibilities. As one of the most abundant, adaptable sparrows in North America, Song Sparrows听can be found in a wide range of habitats:听city parks, salt marshes, and even close to water sources in听deserts. True to their name, they're often heard, not seen. Familiarize yourself with听听and .
Savannah Sparrow
Other notes:听These听beautiful, mid-sized sparrows tend听to inhabit听open fields. They often fly in circles with their tails spread out, surveying the ground before landing. You won't find these birds at your feeder; look for them听along roadsides instead.听You can also see them on the coast, pecking away at shellfish and other aquatic bites. Their cup-shaped听nests are usually built on the ground听under weeds or dead plants鈥攕o watch your step.