White-crowned Sparrow subspecies, California (1 Viewer)

[BAL Land]

Hi all,
These photos are from about 2 weeks ago in Orange County, California. The lower black stripe on the face doesn’t go all the way to the eye, instead ending behind the eye, leaving a latch of white between the eye and the bill. Is this just an odd variation, a leucistic bird, or a different ssp? Thanks!

These are my only two photos.

 

[Butty]

I don't understand, I'm afraid. I guess you're talking about the supercilium ('lower black stripe on the face') - and in these photos it runs backwards from immediately behind the eye - and the whole lore is pale and unmarked - yes? As far as I can see, this is normal - as your field guide will show.

 

[rkj]

This looks like a fairly normal White-crowned Sparrow of the gambelii subspecies, breeding in Alaska, the Yukon, and interior British Columbia and commonly wintering in California.

 

[KC Foggin]

Looks good for White-crowned Sparrow for me. Nice images as well !

 

[BAL Land]

I don't understand, I'm afraid. I guess you're talking about the supercilium ('lower black stripe on the face') - and in these photos it runs backwards from immediately behind the eye - and the whole lore is pale and unmarked - yes? As far as I can see, this is normal - as your field guide will show.

This is not typical. Here is an example of a “normal” Gambel’s subspecies. Notice how the lore is gray, not pure white like in my photos. I have received feedback from another sight also saying Gambel’s, and that it’s just an odd variant.

 

[BAL Land]

Looks good for White-crowned Sparrow for me. Nice images as well !

Thanks! Just a n FYI, I wasn’t questioning the ID of the bird, it’s obviously a WCSP, I was questioning the subspecies.

 

[rkj]

This is not typical. Here is an example of a “normal” Gambel’s subspecies. Notice how the lore is gray, not pure white like in my photos. I have received feedback from another sight also saying Gambel’s, and that it’s just an odd variant.

This is why I said "fairly normal" - you are right that the form usually has gray lores, but if you look at enough photos of them you can see that a percentage do have quite white lores.