012620 Muskogee Edition, Birding Today

https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/lifestyles/birding-today-finding-birds-in-the-winter/article_ceb7570e-0021-5498-8b38-b2d361156542.html

120119 SNP Edition, Life at Boomer Lake

https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/life-at-boomer-lake-abundance-of-bird-species-around-boomer/article_1a980604-1231-11ea-8b47-cbfebf5052f9.html

112719 Muskogee Edition, Birding Today

https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/lifestyles/birding-today-how-to-id-winter-sparrows/article_dc8d8c32-51fb-5833-a169-34669a2e2ee6.html

Oklahoma Winter Bird Profile: Spotted Towhee

Sweet-sweet-teeeeeeaaaaa!

Larger than sparrows with a long tail, dark head, rufous flanks, and white spotting, the Spotted Towhee has several subspecies.  We have our Great Plains, the southwest has their Southwest, and the Pacific Northwest has theirs.  These are all self explanatory, and later, there will be discussion on the Eastern Towhee, which also comes to Oklahoma.

These good looking large sparrows are common in brushy habitats including the undergrowth in open forests and shrublands, but are a secretive species staying within cover.  They scratch heavily within leaf litter, seeking seeds and insects, using the two-footed method to scratch simultaneously with both feet.

Since 1995 this species was separated from the Eastern Towhee, both species once called the rufous-sided towhee.  They share a very narrow hybrid zone in the northern Great Plains.  These birds will show a white patch at the base of the primaries, and their call can be a blend of the two species or sound like either of the two, so it is imperative that one pay close attention in this part of the country.  However, bear in mind that juvenile birds can emulate a hybrid during early winter, though it is rare.

                                                                    Spotted Towhee
                                                       Mount Lemmon, AZ-- Spring 2018

As omnivores, this towhee will eat nearly anything, but during the breeding season it will eat more insects and arthropods, mainly as the young require protein for good growth.

They also have about the largest range of any towhee, found over the southern portion of the western Canadian provinces and over half of the US.  They also do not flock.

Oklahoma Winter Bird Profile: American Tree Sparrow

Bold white wingbars, a clear rusty cap and eyeline with a bicolored bill and a distinct dark breast spot, the American Tree Sparrow sings a clear warble and its good looks will draw you in.

This common country bird winters in brushy or weedy habitat near trees, in back yards, and marshes.  Prone to mix with other sparrows in the winter, it will form large flocks that wander far and wide. Why it is named the tree sparrow is odd, as it is a bird of low shrubs.  They will beat tall weeds with their wings until the seeds fall to the ground outside of breeding season.  At that time they also subsist on berries and seeds.

The medium sized sparrow, as it is commonly called, has a long thin tail and often fluffs itself to make it appear larger.  Migrating late in the fall and early in the spring, these birds are near to or ground nesters, often lining their nests with ptarmigan feathers for both warmth and comfort.  They have adapted well to urban environments out of the breeding season and make full use of human resources.  They will eat scattered millet from the ground, and have been confused with the Chipping Sparrow, so know their arrival/departure dates.

                                                       
                                                               American Tree Sparrow
                                                                   allaboutbirds.org

Their breeding and wintering ranges do not overlap, having remarkably wide ranges between breeding season and their equally large winter range.  The key to find them is to look for them near low points.

The winter sparrow has a large breeding range between the tundra and boreal forest transitional zone in shrubby habitat.

If you wish to attract these beautiful birds to your back yard, forego the raking and keep a section of your yard unkempt.  Many sparrows enjoy scratching upon the ground for food, as do the remainder of their family like towhees and juncos.  Have a water source nearby, as well as untrimmed bushes still holding their dried fruit on the branches.  Also save your seeds by not dead heading your spent flowers for additional food.  Also build a brush and/or rock pile from the garden, forego pesticides, and plant natives in order to attract native birds by contacting your local forestry service, a good source.

Oklahoma Winter Bird Profile: Harris's Sparrow

This is the largest sparrow in the US with a pink bill, white belly and the adult has a strikingly lovely black face and throat.  One of the easiest sparrows to identify, and a common Oklahoma winter bird, this is just a small part of the inclusive Great Plains wintering venues.  While here during the coldest of the seasons, it will be in brushy areas, near riparian corridors at woodland edges and will sometimes be in the presence of Dark-eyed Juncos, Song, White-throated, or White-crowned Sparrows.

This beautiful bird was named after Edward Harris, an amateur ornithologist, by none other than Audubon, who did not realize that this same bird was named by Thomas Nuttall.  It was designated by him as the Mourning Finch.

Harris's usually sings from a high perch, which will immediately differentiate it from the also wintering area Lapland Longspur, which stays strictly on the ground and shows rufous greater coverts.  The migrant sparrow will usually arrive in the Great Plains as early as late October, but most commonly in November or December, then depart in late February for northern areas as high as the Grand Boreal Forest.

                                                                Harris's Sparrow
                                                          Boomer Lake Park, 2016

These ground feeders will forage for seeds and leftover fruit while they are visiting our grassland ecological regions.  The males will still retain some dominance even during the winter, and it will be noted that the eldest males have the largest facial masks and bibs and are most at home exercising their authority over females and younger males.

Not as frequent a visitor to feeders as some winter sparrows, it will investigate human food sources on the edges of town.  It can be drawn in with protective brush piles, and its sheer size will help it to stand out among the other sparrows, as it will often show itself in the open.   Since this is the only songbird that breeds just in Canada, its range is becoming somewhat restricted, possibly due to logging and degradation of soil caused by fire.

Our own George Miksch Sutton found the first nest of Harris's Sparrow in Manitoba in 1931.

A gathering of Harris's Sparrows is collectively called a poll.

Learn Sparrows with Photos:

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2015/12/sparrowing-along.html

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2017/04/a-little-action-between-purple-martins.html

Oklahoma Migratory Species Profile: Clay-colored Sparrow

buzz-buzz

This common migratory sparrow is similar to a Chipping Sparrow, but more buffy overall and paler.
Since we will see it (as a non-breeding bird in the fall), it sports a clean gray nape, a strong dark mustache, a pale eyering, pale lores, and a buffy breastband.

As shrubland and field edge breeders, these passerines will visit Christmas tree farms and grass areas with short and scattered coniferous trees.

                                                     Clay-colored Sparrow, fall plumage
                                                              Boomer Lake Park, 2016

Wintering in southern Texas and south, as well as breeding in the north central US and the western Boreral Forest, it passes through the prairie and Great Plains states.  In the winter, if one travels to those regions, it can be found in the company of White-crowned, Brewer's, and Chipping Sparrows along upland plains, brushy hillsides, and fields.

Fond of shrubs and forbs, they will dine upon soapberry, mesquite, mustard, and spiders, small insects, as well as moths.  Brushy areas of streams and rivers can be a favored location to locate them, where they will be observed hopping under thickets.  This is a fabulous hot spot during their migratory period.

They are parasitized by the Brown-headed Cowbird during breeding season, which could be attributed to their slight population decline.

For More Clay-colored Sparrow Photos, See:

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2017/05/pre-and-post-storm-events.html

Oklahoma Winter Bird Profile: Swamp Sparrow

pete-pete-pete-pete-pete, chip! or  Zeeeeeeee!

Common at pond edges or in wet marshes around cattails, shrubs, prairies, salt marshes, or grass, the Swamp Sparrow can be found in old fields or other wet areas during times of migration.  They will mix with the Song Sparrow, and usually stay low under thick cover.  Do not expect this bird at your feeders, though stranger things have happened.

The throat is usually unstreaked and there are blurred streaks upon the buffy gray breast, and a light belly with solid rufous wing coverts.  Even though it has a red crown, its bulky build should not suggest a Chipping Sparrow, as it rarely comes out in the open and stays within a different habitat.  Remember GISS, general impression, shape, and size as a rule for sparrows.  Also note that is has gray cheeks and eyebrows, another defining characteristic from the chippie.  Northern and western birds are lighter in color than the eastern and southern birds.

                                                                  Swamp Sparrow
                                                           Boomer Lake Park, 2015

These songbirds breed in boreal Canada, as well as northern and eastern parts of the US.  Wintering in the eastern part of the country, they make their way to Oklahoma frequently, as well as south to Mexico.

If one is able to photograph the bird, note its longer legs than most sparrows.  This enables it to forage in shallow water.  They usually begin their song early in the day and can even be heard during a nicely moonlit night.

Numbers have been declining in parts of its range, naturally due to loss of habitat, as well as degradation and ill health of its favored waterways.

This bird will clearly be expanding north in its ranges, most notably for winter limits.

Oklahoma Winter Bird Profile: Vesper Sparrow

Half the state will see the Vesper Sparrow as a winter resident (in the southern half) and the northern half will see it as a migrant.

As a short grass prairie breeder it often perches on barbed wire or small trees, not mixing with other sparrow species in the Northern US and Canada.  In the winter, it can be found in loose flocks upon agricultural fields or dry and sparsely vegetated pastures.  It is best to look for them in full song at that time, as they are at their least shy during the breeding season.

Rarely observed, it has a small red shoulder patch, thin white eyering, flashes white outer tail feathers while in flight, and sings a sweet series of trills within the vespers of twilight.

They will quickly settle in abandoned farm fields and old mines as they revert to their forest stature.

These ground dwellers and nesters scratch upon the ground and take frequent dust baths.  After the breeding season, they will migrate south and forage with mixed sparrow species that include Brewer's, Savannah, and Grasshopper Sparrows, as well as the Lark Bunting.

                                                                  Vesper Sparrow
                                                          Boomer Lake Park, 2015

Populations are declining to some degree due to likely loss of grassland habitat, frequent mowing of fields, early harvest, and hedgerow removal.  Certain populations could become threatened or endangered due to this continued activity in the eastern ranges, but in general, they are still a species of low concern.  They enjoy meadows with open soil, stubble fields, and grassy areas above sandy beaches.

They are rather early spring migrants and return later in the fall.  They usually have been peaking in May and October.

Oklahoma Winter Bird Profile: Song Sparrow

One of the most welcome sounds that I hope to hear for winter to bring cheer, is that of the Song Sparrow atop a bush or small tree.  Common to brushy areas near water, this ubiquitous sparrow is often found with several of its species in loose groups, as well as with the Dark-eyed Junco.

Several subspecies across the country are known, including the Eastern, which is also the bird of Oklahoma, Aleutian, Southwest, California Coast, and Pacific Northwest, all self-explanatory. Many of these birds are actually intergrades, with a wide latitude on streaking.  There is really no audible variation among any of them.

In Oklahoma, most likely the first streaky and robust bird of winter that you see is the Song Sparrow, and memorizing the voice in the above video will seal the deal.  The bill is semi-conical with wide breast streaking with a central "stickpin" in the midst of the breast and flesh-toned legs.  They will often visit feeders.

                                                                    Song Sparrow
                                                        Boomer Lake Park, March 2015

The Song Sparrow enjoys a number of habitats as a generalist including wet meadows, lakes, thickets, forest edges, bushy marsh margins, parks, roadsides, gardens, salt marshes, etc.  It will scratch upon the ground for seeds, and usually flies low to the ground.

Its beautiful song increases with the advent of spring and tends to be variable and quite complex at times, but very familiar.  Many birds in the northern section of its range will be migratory, but some will rely upon bird feeders.  These insectivores will also eat fruit and seeds all year.  They will usually dine upon whatever is available no matter where they are found, insuring the success of the species.

They can be a victim of the Brown-headed Cowbird, but they are quite resilient with an uncanny ability to raise their own as well as that of the obligate brood parasite.  The Song Sparrow also has the most numerous subspecies in the US.

Oklahoma Winter Bird Profile: Savannah Sparrow

Similar to some subspecies of Song Sparrow, the usual yellow wash on the lores of the Savannah Sparrow is usually present.  The eyebrow also shows paler tones, the bill is pinkish and smaller, and there is evidence of a crest.  Savannah is usually thinner and less robust, and will form loose flocks in winter, away from other sparrow species.  It is generally available in open fields, perched upon weeds or fences, perhaps atop the ground.  They are also less likely seen in brushy habitat, enjoying marshes and fields.

One of the first species of this bird was found in Savannah, Georgia, hence its name.  Pacific and Mexican breeders are resident, and the remainder are migratory birds.  Oddly Alaskan and interior races are the palest, and coastal southwest birds are the darkest of all species.

                                                               Savannah Sparrow
                                                          Boomer Lake Park, 2015

There are many regional variations of this bird, both subspecies and forms.  The Ipswich is larger with pink-brown streaks, and very pale gray.  They winter on the east coast and breed in Maritime Canada.

Belding's is a Mexican/Southern California bird with a very thin median crown stripe and darker overall with heavier streaking.

The Large-billed is a Mexican subspecies that rarely crosses the border, and has a heavy, large bill.

Forms include the grayish typical adult with fine streaking, a streaked back minus the scaled pattern, and a short notched tail.  The reddish typical adult has a small bill with reddish streaking on the sides.

There are and were other subspecies, which we will not cover, as the likeliness of seeing them will generally be a moot point unless one intends to become a sparrow specialist.

Due to the fact that these birds nest on or near the ground, most farmers in the north or west will do a late mow of their fields in order to keep these populations as least concern.

I mention all subspecies and forms as they are so varied, and it would be wise to record their images if possible to aid in identification.  This sparrow will not be cut and dry, so next discussed will be the Song Sparrow in the series.

Oklahoma Winter Bird Profile: White-throated Sparrow

Poor Sam, Peabody, Peabody, Peabody or
My Sweet Canada, Canada, Canada 

Many times near openings in openings in mixed woods, along brushy understory, or woodland edges, this classic sparrow has a powerful song for such a small bird.  A stocky and dark brown-red sparrow, the gray breast is either understreaked or coarsely mottled.

The offset white throat has sharp delineation and the yellow lores are another identification point.

Attracting this beautiful songster to a feeder will  not be difficult if it is near a thicket for rapid cover.

This late fall migrater can be a slow mover to its southern sources and moves mostly at night.  The tan striped supercilium (eyebrow) adult is more drab and the white striped supercilium adult is more brightly colored.  Oddly, one of each tends to make a pair and it has been noted in studies that the white-striped adult is the more aggressive.

                                                             White-throated Sparrow
                                                           Boomer Creek Park, 2015

This ground forager enjoys fall berries and in the winter likes grass and weed seeds.  A good way to be attractive to the species is to have an unmowed section of back yard for its feeding pleasure.  Wintering birds are most common in the south and east and not difficult to find in Oklahoma and as far west as the Pacific coast, especially when it belts out song.

Mostly a Canadian breeder, this bird is very susceptible to window strikes and is a prey choice of many smaller raptors.

Oklahoma Winter Bird Profile: Harris's Sparrow

Uncommon and local, the wintering flock chooses brushy areas around riparian corridors near water.  The species tends to mix well with other sparrows and stands out for its size as our largest sparrow.

Adult songbirds have a lovely color, including the characteristic white face and belly, as well as light gray or brown cheeks.  Only breeding in central Northern Canada in the Nunavet and Northwest Territories of the Boreal Forest, this sparrow is definitely one to be noticed, with the pink bill setting off its good looks.

As a lover of the grassland ecology, it is no surprise that this perching bird chooses to winter in the southern Great Plains through central Texas with open woods and brush piles, as well as the edges of bordering states.  Harsh weather tends to force them from the prairie provinces of Canada.

                                                                Harris's Sparrow
                                                          Boomer Lake Park 2016

Named by John James Audubon after amateur American ornithologist and naturalist Edward Harris, its song will usually be carried from a high perch.  They are expected to arrive in the Great Plains commonly through the month of November and early December, though early migrants have been recorded.  It will sometimes visit feeders for outstanding views of its countenance.  A group of Harris's Sparrows is known as a poll.

Immature birds will show a brown striped head, with a more orange toned bill.  This species will likely be affected by climate change due to logging, fires, and soil change on the breeding grounds, which will influence its preferred brushy habitat.

This bird only breeds in Canada, and is only native there and in the US.

Oklahoma Winter Bird Profile: White-crowned Sparrow

more, more, more cheezies

This common bird has dialects all over the country to denote where it is from.  These birds are observed in the winter in Oklahoma in brushy or weedy areas.  They will feed in flocks on the ground and when disturbed, will all fly back to cover.  Our adult East Taiga subspecies has a pink bill and white head stripes.

A Boreal Forest breeder, as well as portions of western states, these sparrows are resident in most of the southern US.  Gambel's sparrow enjoys shrubby and woody thickets, as well as hedgerows, forest parks, and gardens in many open areas.  Because of its wide range and distribution, it is often seen, especially during migratory events in the same areas.

                                                      East Taiga White-crowned Sparrow
                                                              Boomer Lake Park, 2015
Just like most sparrows, the white-crowned hops and scratches, but will sometimes hawk for insects in flight.

The undulating flight with alternate flapping is a characteristic of many birds like this one.  This sparrow can show a strong preference for certain territories and be within a flock of a dozen to four dozen birds in winter, especially in agricultural fields and back yards.  They can be attracted by brush piles and sunflower seeds if you'd like to see more of them.

They prefer seeds, buds, and berries, and like most breeding birds base their diet upon protein sources in spring and summer.

Most of this species migrates at night.  The northern and mountain region subspecies are strongly migratory, with the Pacific birds usually resident to their region.  Alaskan birds are known for orange bills and the Pacific coast birds have yellow bills, while the remainder share the pink bill, including the Rocky Mountain subspecies.

The Gambel's sparrow is very familiar to the eastern and mountain subspecies, but will not have black lores, yet the bill is more orange.  Nuttall's sparrow is a very regional non-migratory coastal bird of the Pacific, restricted to parkland and restored scrub.

Known for the short series of clear whistles followed directly by buzzy tones, it gets easier to tell when they are in the area if one enjoys birding by ear.  Once the GISS (general impression, shape, and size) is learned, one should have no trouble picking out young birds, who have brown as opposed to black head markings.  The bill is just as short and the tail is just as long in comparison to an adult.

Oklahoma Winter Bird Profile: Lincoln's Sparrow

Often a mild winter resident of Oklahoma in dense thickets and overgrown fields, some of the Lincoln's Sparrows are already moving in from northern US and Boreal Forest breeding grounds.  These sparrows tend to like grassy patches around trees and brush near water sources.  Generally solitary, they will mix with other flocks of sparrows.

This streaked brown and buff sparrow clearly shows malted-milk sides with a black streaked breast and white belly and throat.  The buffy mustache stripe is bordered with brown lines.  The crest commonly moves up and down when the bird is intrigued or alarmed, but is not a clear delineator of the species.

The medium sized sparrow is not as dainty as it appears and is a skulker.  It often is missed in migration, so tune your ears to its sound.  Pishing will draw it out, but never do that to any bird in the winter so they may conserve energy when they need it the most.

                                                               Lincoln's Sparrow
                                                         Boomer Lake Park, Winter 2017

This New World sparrow covers most of North and Central America in subalpine woods,  thickets, and even subarctic streams, fens, swamps, wet meadows, and mountain meadows of the western US.  Alders, willows, spruce, tamarack and thick ground vegetation will draw it within.

If one hears the characteristic double scratch of a sparrow, look carefully for the source on the ground, as it could well be the shy migrant.  Flitting from one spot to another,  Lincoln's will incessantly chip when faced with an intruder's approach.

Enjoying grasses, weeds, insects, seeds, grains, and invertebrates, they can be expected in September or October as migrants.  Expect it for Christmas Bird Count if in the appropriate area in Oklahoma.

This bird was named by John James Audubon for his friend, Thomas Lincoln of Dennysville, Maine.  It was originally called Tom's Finch after the man that shot it for Audubon.

Oklahoma Vagrants: Black-throated Sparrow

The Black-throated Sparrow is known for arid desert scrubland, and that is where such areas on the Oklahoma Panhandle give one exactly what asked for since 1974.  They are frequently seen in the open upon the ground or on twiggy shrubs in canyons.  2018 has been the year of sightings in Oklahoma in both spring and fall at Easter Pageant, as well as a few other sparse observations in Cimarron County.  They are still not often seen here.

A small sparrow with striking marks that include the black throat and bib, the singing male has a notable call in the spring.  The species feeds on seeds and insects, and can occur up to 7,000 feet elevation.  They are often under cacti and shrubs, and if proper habitat can be cultivated, they will come to feeders.  Insects are usually only consumed during the breeding season and seeds for the remainder of the year.

                                               Black-throated Sparrow (Texas subspecies)
                                                           Rio Grande Valley, Texas 2017

Frequent hosts to the Brown-headed Cowbird, some of the young sparrows will not survive.  Other  problems include excessive heat, fire suppression, and loss of habitat due to urbanization.

The desert sparrow can withstand a great deal of heat, obtaining necessary water from food sources.  Resident birds remain in the southern US, while northern breeders tend to join them there, as well as in Mexico.

See the Western Subspecies of this bird with others in Arizona:

https://debhirt.blogspot.com/2018/05/birding-on-shoestring-wilds-of-arizona.html

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Rufous-crowned Sparrow

A large, stocky sparrow that is uncommon on arid rocky hillsides or canyons with patches of grass and sparse shrubs.  It is usually solitary unless mated and will not flock.  Much more common in southwestern states like Arizona, it is becoming much less common in Oklahoma.  Its most likely observation spot is either at Black Mesa, Black Mesa State Park, or the Wichita Mountain NWR in the Sunset picnic area in western and southwestern Oklahoma, respectively.

Known for the dark lateral throat striping, the red rear eyeline, pale malars, and split rufous crown with plain gray breast and ground dwelling behavior, it appears to resemble a towhee phylogenically.  It also has a husky descending chatter that seems like it is more mumbled than clear.

                                                           Rufous-crowned Sparrow
                                                          Santa Rita Lodge, AZ 2018

With isolated populations and from twelve common subspecies up to another six more possible,  its populations are often very isolated from one another.

They are insectivores during the spring and summer, then rely on seeds for the winter.

Nests are often predated upon by snakes and a number of mammals, to which the sparrow has adopted a few defense mechanisms.  It uses the drooping wing like the Killdeer, falling from a bush, and the "rodent" run voicing a drawn out alarm call, where all three habits take predators away from the nest.

Its breeding area is a sparsely vegetated scrubland.  The males are very territorial and guard their breeding grounds throughout the year.  When a nest site has been chosen, they will usually rely upon it for many years.  A single brooder, but a clutch replacer when necessary, this species is a victim of the Brown-headed Cowbird.

Rodenticides are also a problem for this species, namely warfarin, since they spend so much of their time on or near the ground.

Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Lark Sparrow

A passerine common in open grassy areas with scattered trees or in shortgrass adjacent to trees, and found easily in pastures and on farmlands.  They are ground foragers, oftentimes on lawns searching for seeds and insects.  This large, thick-billed sparrow has a variegated face pattern, the best identifying feature.

Even early in the breeding season, the male will sing often, be it in flight, on the ground or perched on fenceposts.  Tail spreads are a conspicuous part of display before mating.  The male will  hold a small twig, copulate with the female, and then pass it to her, when she will fly off and possibly use it while she constructs the nests.

Females will occasionally use thrasher or mockingbird nests instead of building theirs, sometimes preferring to be in a tree or shrub.  They will frequently nest upon the ground in natural grasslands where there is a slight rise or a shallow depression in shaded and bare locations.

There are some minor issues with population growth most likely used by loss of habitat or the increase of fire frequency due to invasive grasses.  They once were plentiful in the east, but population drove them away.

One of the easiest sparrows to identify due to the distinctive facial pattern and long tail with broad white edges, the lark sparrow is found in a wide range across the US, except in the east.  This New World sparrow is a short to medium distance migrant wintering in Mexico and is also a vagrant to the United Kingdom.