This Song Sparrow has been overwintering in Votier’s Flats, Fish Creek Park. It spends quite a bit of time feeding in the open water of the creek. Photos by Bob Lefebvre.
The creek at Votier’s Flats.
This Song Sparrow has been overwintering in Votier’s Flats, Fish Creek Park. It spends quite a bit of time feeding in the open water of the creek. Photos by Bob Lefebvre.
The creek at Votier’s Flats.
Interesting! What is the Latin name of this sparrow? It looks like a “red” Fox Sparrow!?
It’s actually a Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia), not a Fox Sparrow. It is fairly reddish but some Song Sparrows are. It’s funny, when I first saw it on November 25 I was leading a birding class, and I called out “Fox Sparrow!” only to be immediately corrected by Gus Yaki, who was also there at the time. Song Sparrows are so variable that I find them tricky to ID.
OK, I understand. For an European it is even much more tricky to identify all the Sparrows of North America. We have only three different Sparrows in Europe, that’s easy!
Gorgeous photos Bob!
Beautiful little birds, my Dad liked Sparrows, he said they are always such happy little birds, always chirping! He was right, little heartwarmers…