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Difference between revisions of "Brewer's Sparrow" - BirdForum Opus

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[[Image:Brewers_Sparrow.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|Michael+W|Michael W}}<br />Photo taken: Granada Park, Phoenix, [[Arizona]], USA]]
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[[Image:Brewers_Sparrow.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|Michael+W|Michael W}}<br />Granada Park, Phoenix, [[Arizona]], USA]]
 
;[[:Category:Spizella|Spizella]] breweri
 
;[[:Category:Spizella|Spizella]] breweri
 
'''Includes: Timberline Sparrow'''
 
'''Includes: Timberline Sparrow'''
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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A very plain sparrow, but one with a beautiful song.  The song is a long, varied, descending series of trills and buzzes.
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'''Adult'''
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*Grey-brown streaked back
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Adults have grey-brown backs and brown crowns, both with dark streaks, and a pale eye-ring. Their wings are brown with light wing bars and the underparts are pale grey. Their bill is pale with a dark tip and they have a long notched tail. They are similar in appearance to the [[Clay-colored Sparrow]] but do not have a pale stripe on the crown or grey neck patch.
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*Brown streaked crown
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*Pale eye-ring
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*Pale wing bars
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*Pale grey underparts
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*Pale bill with a dark tip
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*Long notched tail
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====Similar Species====
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[[Clay-colored Sparrow]]: which has a pale stripe on the crown and a grey neck patch
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
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[[United States]] and [[Canada]].
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[[United States]], [[Canada]] and [[Central America]]:<br />
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'''Canada''': [[Alberta]], [[British Columbia]], [[Saskatchewan]], [[Yukon]]<br />
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'''United States''': [[New England]], [[Alaska]], [[Arizona]], [[California]], [[Colorado]], [[Idaho]], [[Kansas]], [[Massachusetts]], [[Montana]], [[North Dakota]], [[Nebraska]], [[New Mexico]], [[Nevada]], [[Oklahoma]], [[Oregon]], [[South Dakota]], [[Texas]], [[Utah]], [[Washington]], [[Wyoming]]<br />
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'''Central America''': [[Mexico]], [[Baja California]]
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
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There are two distinct populations:
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====Subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>====
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*''S. b. breweri'':
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''Spizella breweri breweri'' is found in brushy areas, especially with sagebrush, in southern parts of western Canada and in the western United States.
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:*[[British Columbia]] and [[Alberta]] to south-western [[US]]; winters to [[Baja California]] and central [[Mexico]]
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*''S. b. taverneri'': (Timberline)
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''Spizella breweri taverneri'' is found in thicketed areas around the tree-line in the Rockies of northern [[British Columbia]], the southern [[Yukon]] and southeastern [[Alaska]]. Some consider this to be a separate species, the Timberline Sparrow. These birds are somewhat darker and larger than the southern subspecies.
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:*South-western [[Yukon]] and north-western [[British Columbia]] to south-eastern British Columbia and south-western [[Alberta]]
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These birds have decreased in some parts of their range. Causes are not well understood, but it is suspected that the decline is due at least in part to destruction of sagebrush habitat. Additional information on resource use and limitation during the wintering season is desperately needed.
 
  
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Subspecies ''taverneri'' is sometimes considered a separate species Timberline Sparrow<sup>[[#References|[2]]]</sup>
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
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Brushy areas
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Sagebrush, deserts and weedy fields.
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==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
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These birds forage primarily in shrubs or in low vegetation, but also on the ground. They mainly eat insects in summer with seeds becoming a more important part of the diet at other times of the year. They usually forage in flocks outside of the breeding season, sometimes with other sparrows.
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They flock with other sparrow species in the winter.
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====Diet====
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The female typically lays 3 to 4 eggs (up to 5) in a cup nest in low shrubs.
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Ground foragers, the diet consists of insects and seeds.
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====Breeding====
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The clutch consists of 3 to 5 eggs which are laid in a cup nest in low shrubs.
 
====Vocalisation====
 
====Vocalisation====
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The male sings to defend a nesting territory. The song is a long varied mix of notes and trills. Males have 2 distinct types of songs - classified as short and long songs.
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'''Song''' is a long varied mix of notes and trills.  
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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thDec09}}#Avibase
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#Wikipedia
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#BF Member observations
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{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
 
{{GSearch|Spizella+breweri}}
 
{{GSearch|Spizella+breweri}}
  
 
[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Spizella]]
 
[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Spizella]]

Revision as of 16:58, 30 July 2010

Photo by Michael W
Granada Park, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Spizella breweri

Includes: Timberline Sparrow

Identification

Adult

  • Grey-brown streaked back
  • Brown streaked crown
  • Pale eye-ring
  • Pale wing bars
  • Pale grey underparts
  • Pale bill with a dark tip
  • Long notched tail

Similar Species

Clay-colored Sparrow: which has a pale stripe on the crown and a grey neck patch

Distribution

United States, Canada and Central America:
Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Yukon
United States: New England, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Massachusetts, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
Central America: Mexico, Baja California

Taxonomy

Subspecies[1]

  • S. b. breweri:
  • S. b. taverneri: (Timberline)

Subspecies taverneri is sometimes considered a separate species Timberline Sparrow[2]

Habitat

Sagebrush, deserts and weedy fields.

Behaviour

They flock with other sparrow species in the winter.

Diet

Ground foragers, the diet consists of insects and seeds.

Breeding

The clutch consists of 3 to 5 eggs which are laid in a cup nest in low shrubs.

Vocalisation

Song is a long varied mix of notes and trills.

References

  1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
  2. Avibase
  3. Wikipedia
  4. BF Member observations

Recommended Citation

External Links

Retrieved from ‘https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/index.php?title=Brewer%27s_Sparrow&oldid=159298’
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