Chipping Sparrow, Bartram's Garden

In Albums: birds Philadelphia

Apr 9th, 2013, by Alex Zorach

This photo shows a chipping sparrow, Spizella passerina, feeding in a relatively barren area outside of Bartram's Garden in Philadelphia.

This photo shows the bold breeding plumage of this bird: note the dark red crown, and the very bold white supercilium (eyebrow stripe) and the bold black eye-line. Also note the clean light gray breast, and the dark bill.

The closely related American Tree Sparrows has a bicolored bill, more buffy on the flanks, (often, not always) a central breast spot, and a more subdued coloration to the striping on the face.