Wise County TexasBirds

Mary Curry

Common, some not so, and some rare

Illustrated on front cover - Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron, Red-eyed Vireo, Chimney Swift, Short-eared Owl, Winter Wren and the Eastern Meadowlark.

Our wonderful German Shepherds are on the back cover. They are very much the birdwatchers. See their life list on pages 328-332

Copyright © 2015 by Mary Curry

All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-1518611322

ISBN-10: 151861132X

Photographs by Claire Curry and Mary Curry unless noted next to the photograph

Illustrations by Mary Curry except where noted as by Claire Curry

All rights and copyrights apply.

Published by Mary Curry, Decatur, Texas

Printed 2011 Version 1

Printed 2015 Version 2

North Central Texas Wildflowers will be in print soon

Thank you to

Jim, Claire, and Pete

With love,Mary

In fondness and loving memory of Maxine Armstrong, my mom

4

Rosie

Shadow

My bird watchers

Gracie

5

Table of Contents12 Key13 Preface14 Geese and Ducks

15 Greater White-fronted Goose16 Snow Goose17 Ross’s Goose18 Canada Goose19 Cackling Goose20 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck21 Wood Duck22 Gadwall23 American Wigeon24 Mallard25 Blue-winged Teal26 Cinnamon Teal27 Northern Shoveler28 Northern Pintail29 Green-winged Teal30 Canvasback31 Redhead32 Ring-necked Duck33 Greater Scaup34 Lesser Scaup35 Bufflehead36 Common Goldeneye37 Hooded Merganser38 Common Merganser39 Red-breasted Merganser40 Ruddy Duck41 American Coot

42 Pelicans and Cormorants 43 American White Pelican44 Double-crested Cormorant

45 Loons and Grebes46 Common Loon47 Pied-billed Grebe48 Horned Grebe49 Eared Grebe

50 Herons, Egrets, and Ibises51 American Bittern52 Great Blue Heron53 Great Egret54 Snowy Egret55 Little Blue Heron 56 Tricolored Heron57 Cattle Egret

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58 Green Heron59 Black-crowned Night-heron60 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron61 White-faced Ibis

62 Rails 63 King Rail64 Virginia Rail65 Sora

66 Cranes 67 Sandhill Crane68 Whooping Crane

69 Stilts,Plovers,andSandpipers70 Black-necked Stilt71 American Avocet 72 Black-bellied Plover 73 American Golden-Plover 74 Snowy Plover 75 Semipalmated Plover 76 Killdeer77 Greater Yellowlegs78 Lesser Yellowlegs79 Solitary Sandpiper80 Willet81 Spotted Sandpiper82 Upland Sandpiper83 Long-billed Curlew84 Marbled Godwit 85 Sanderling86 Semipalmated Sandpiper87 Western Sandpiper88 Least Sandpiper89 White-rumped Sandpiper90 Baird’s Sandpiper91 Pectoral Sandpiper92 Dunlin93 Stilt Sandpiper94 Buff-breasted Sandpiper95 Short-billed Dowitcher96 Long-billed Dowitcher97 Wilson’s Snipe98 American Woodcock99 Wilson’s Phalarope100 Red-necked Phalarope

101 Gulls and Terns 102 Franklin’s Gull103 Ring-billed Gull104 Bonaparte’s Gull

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105 Least Tern 106 Black Tern 107 Forster’s Tern

108 VulturesandRaptors109 Black Vulture110 Turkey Vulture111 Osprey112 Mississippi Kite113 Bald Eagle114 Northern Harrier115 Sharp-shinned Hawk116 Cooper’s Hawk117 Red-shouldered Hawk118 Broad-winged Hawk119 Swainson’s Hawk120 Red-tailed Hawk122 Ferruginous Hawk123 Rough-legged Hawk124 American Kestrel125 Merlin126 Peregrine Falcon127 Prairie Falcon

128 Owls 129 Barn Owl130 Eastern Screech-Owl131 Great Horned Owl132 Short-eared Owl133 Long-eared Owl134 Barred Owl

135 Turkeys and Quail136 Wild Turkey137 Northern Bobwhite

138 Pigeons and Doves139 Rock Pigeon140 Eurasian Collared-Dove141 White-winged Dove142 Mourning Dove143 Inca Dove

144 Cuckoos145 Yellow-billed Cuckoo146 Greater Roadrunner

147 Goatsuckers 148 Common Nighthawk149 Chuck-will’s-widow

150 Shrikes, Jays and Crows 151 Loggerhead Shrike152 Blue Jay153 American Crow

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154 Hummingbirds 155 Ruby-throated Hummingbird156 Black-chinned Hummingbird157 Calliope Hummingbird158 Rufous Hummingbird

159 Kingfishers160 Belted Kingfisher

161 Woodpeckers162 Red-headed Woodpecker 163 Red-bellied Woodpecker164 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker165 Ladder-backed Woodpecker166 Downy Woodpecker167 Hairy Woodpecker168 Northern Flicker169 Pileated Woodpecker

170 Flycatchers171 Olive-sided Flycatcher172 Eastern Wood-Pewee173 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 174 Acadian Flycatcher175 Alder Flycatcher176 Least Flycatcher177 Eastern Phoebe178 Say’s Phoebe179 Vermilion Flycatcher180 Great Crested Flycatcher181 Western Kingbird182 Eastern Kingbird183 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

184 Swifts,Martins,andSwallows185 Chimney Swift186 Purple Martin187 Tree Swallow188 Northern Rough-winged Swallow189 Bank Swallow190 Cliff Swallow191 Cave Swallow192 Barn Swallow

193 Chickadees and Titmouse194 Carolina Chickadee 195 Tufted Titmouse and Black-crested Titmouse hybrid

197 NuthatchesandCreepers198 Red-breasted Nuthatch199 White-breasted Nuthatch200 Brown Creeper

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201 Wrens 202 Rock Wren203 Canyon Wren204 Carolina Wren205 Bewick’s Wren206 House Wren207 Marsh Wren208 Winter Wren

209 Kinglets and Gnatcatchers210 Golden-crowned Kinglet211 Ruby-crowned Kinglet212 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

213 Thrushes214 Eastern Bluebird215 Western Bluebird216 Townsend's Solitaire 217 Veery218 Swainson’s Thrush219 Hermit Thrush220 American Robin

221 Mockingbirds and Thrashers222 Gray Catbird 223 Northern Mockingbird224 Brown Thrasher

225 Waxwings226 Cedar Waxwing

227 Tanagers,Cardinals,GrosbeaksandBuntings228 Summer Tanager229 Northern Cardinal230 Rose-breasted Grosbeak231 Black-headed Grosbeak 232 Blue Grosbeak233 Lazuli Bunting234 Indigo Bunting235 Painted Bunting236 Dickcissel

237 Finches 238 Purple Finch239 House Finch240 Red Crossbill241 Common Redpoll242 Pine Siskin243 Lesser Goldfinch244 American Goldfinch245 Evening Grosbeak

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246 Vireos 247 White-eyed Vireo248 Bell’s Vireo249 Yellow-throated Vireo 250 Blue-headed Vireo251 Warbling Vireo 252 Red-eyed Vireo

253 Wood-warblers 254 Tennessee Warbler255 Orange-crowned Warbler256 Nashville Warbler257 Northern Parula 258 Yellow Warbler259 Chestnut-sided Warbler260 Magnolia Warbler 261 Yellow-rumped Warbler262 Black-throated Green Warbler263 Blackburnian Warbler 264 Yellow-throated Warbler265 Pine Warbler266 Palm Warbler 267 Bay-breasted Warbler 268 Blackpoll Warbler 269 Black-and-white Warbler270 American Redstart271 Prothonotary Warbler272 Ovenbird 273 Northern Waterthrush274 Louisiana Waterthrush275 Mourning Warbler 276 Common Yellowthroat277 Wilson’s Warbler278 Canada Warbler 279 Yellow-breasted Chat

280 Towhees,Sparrows,andJuncos281 Spotted Towhee282 Eastern Towhee283 Cassin’s Sparrow284 Rufous-crowned Sparrow285 American Tree Sparrow286 Chipping Sparrow287 Clay-colored Sparrow288 Field Sparrow289 Vesper Sparrow290 Lark Sparrow291 Lark Bunting

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292 Savannah Sparrow293 Grasshopper Sparrow294 Le Conte’s Sparrow 295 Fox Sparrow296 Song Sparrow297 Lincoln’s Sparrow298 Swamp Sparrow299 White-throated Sparrow300 Harris’s Sparrow301 White-crowned Sparrow302 Dark-eyed Junco303 House Sparrow

304 Pipits,Larks,andLongspurs305 American Pipit306 Sprague’s Pipit307 Horned Lark308 Lapland Longspur309 Chestnut-collared Longspur310 Smith's Longspur311 McCown’s Longspur

312 Blackbirds, Meadowlarks, and Orioles313 Bobolink314 Red-winged Blackbird315 Eastern Meadowlark316 Western Meadowlark317 Yellow-headed Blackbird 318 Rusty Blackbird319 Brewer’s Blackbird 320 Common Grackle321 Great-tailed Grackle322 Brown-headed Cowbird323 Orchard Oriole324 Baltimore Oriole325 Bullock’s Oriole

326 Starlings 327 European Starling

328 Rosie’s life list330 Shadow’s life list331 Gracie’s life list333 My life list334 References 335 TopographyandTerms338 Index

12

L - Body LengthW -Wing Length

Key

Found an unusual bird?

PLEASE document it by making notes, sketches, and take lots of photographs and report it.

Status: Status in Wise County

Dabbling: A duck that will feed at the surface of the water, sticking its head under the water

Diver: A duck that submerses completely under the water’s surface to feed

Scientific names in parenthesis are the old names(based on the AOU 2015)

13

This book is primarily for me but also for my friends that go on the First Wednesday field trips to the LBJ National Grasslands. I thought a guide that has just the species we might see here would quickly eliminate species that would almost certainly not be here, (but remember birds do have wings.) Thus, I have included some rarer birds, but not all.

The order of the book is what I thought made sense to me. In each section, I mostly left the species in the scientific order of the American Ornithologist Union check list as of 2010, but of course as new information is discovered then this will change as well. Some of these species I am not as familiar with so by looking at photographs and drawings of a species I have tried to point out the field marks. I do not mean for these field marks to be the end all and strongly suggest that you have several nationally recognized field guides to round out your library. Of course, not all critters can be identified in the field. The darn critters just do not sit still or are too far away to be safely identified. But hey, that is all part of the fun!

Birding should be fun. So Claire and I decided we did not care to keep a list for ourselves, but that we would keep one for Rosie, my German Shepherd. We counted a bird on her list every time we thought she saw or heard a bird. Oh yes, some times in the excitement we would forget to look and see if she was looking or listening while we were looking or listening. Rosie died in July 2009, but now Shadow and Gracie carry on the friendly competition started by Rosie. You can make up any kind of list you want. It is your list, so do it the way you want and just have fun watching nature.

So my hope is that you will get some use out of this book and have a general idea what can be expected or have a reasonable chance to travel through Wise County. As always some species who have not read this or any other field guide may pop in on us at any time.

Happy Birding!

Mary

Preface

14

Geese and Ducks 15 Greater White-fronted Goose16 Snow Goose17 Ross’s Goose18 Canada Goose19 Cackling Goose20 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck21 Wood Duck22 Gadwall23 American Wigeon24 Mallard25 Blue-winged Teal26 Cinnamon Teal27 Northern Shoveler28 Northern Pintail29 Green-winged Teal30 Canvasback31 Redhead32 Ring-necked Duck33 Greater Scaup34 Lesser Scaup35 Bufflehead36 Common Goldeneye37 Hooded Merganser38 Common Merganser39 Red-breasted Merganser40 Ruddy Duck41 American Coot

15

Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons

Spring

Fall

Winter

L 28" W 53"

This is an uncommon goose for Wise County. It likes to graze in fields.

• Overall brown body and head• Buffy tipped feathers on back• Barred breast and belly• Large pink-orange bill• White front face that surrounds base of the bill• Undertail coverts white • White-tipped tail then dark bar with white at the base• White flank line • Orange legs

It flies high in large V-formations.

Status: Uncommon

16

Snow GooseChen caerulescens

L 28" W 53"

Spring

Fall

This is a fairly common goose seen during migration.

• Overall white body, head, and tail• Primaries black• Bill pinkish with a black line on lower mandible • Dull orange-red legs

There is a dark morph adult but it is less common. Its head is white and the body is dark. The juvenile is dark all over.

Flocks fly in a ragged U or V-formations.

Dark morph

Status: Common

17

Ross’s Goose

Photos taken in November 16, 2003 near Greenwood, Texas in Wise County

Chen rossii

Fall

L 23” W 45"

The Ross's Goose is a very uncommon in Wise County. It is very similar to the Snow Goose.

• White over all on the body, head and tail• Neck shorter than a Snow Goose• Legs dark• Pinkish bill small and straight at the base• Black primaries seen in flight

It sometimes will hybridize with the Snow Goose. There is a dark morph but head is white with white wing coverts.

Dark morph

Status: Very uncommon

18

Canada GooseBranta canadensis

L 45” W 60"

All Year

Almost everyone recognizes a Canada Goose. To complicate things, there has been a split of the larger Canada Goose and the smaller Cackling Goose, Branta hutchinsii (see the next page). Formally they were only considered different subspecies.

• Black from the neck to the head• Long neck• White cheek• Brown body with white undertail coverts• Dark legs• Large dark band on the tip of the white tail

It flies in well-defined V-formations.

Status: Common

19

Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsii

L 25” W 43"

The Cackling Goose, once considered a subspecies of the larger Canada Goose, was split into a separate species in 2004.

• Black from the neck to the head• Short neck• Small dark bill• White cheek• Brown body with white undertail coverts• Dark legs• Large dark band on the tip of the white tail

It flies in well-defined V-formations.

Spring

Fall

See the Canada Goose flight view on the previous page, just imagine a shorter neck.

Status: Uncommon

20

Black-bellied Whistling-DuckDendrocygna autumnalis

L 21”Dabbling

Ok, I admit it; I would not have included this guy in here if I had not gotten this photo of the juveniles on the Llano River near Kingsland, Texas. It would be another uncommon duck for Wise County, but in Pulich's book they have been documented in the surrounding counties in recent years. TOS Handbook of Texas Birds and Ebirds, both show that they are increasing and it has been found in all seasons where they have been seen. Adult:• Grayish head with a brownish stripe from crown down to the back• Whitish eye-ring• Orange bill with a gray tip• Brownish from mid neck to breast and back• Black belly, undertail coverts, and underside of wings• Upperside primaries black, white greater secondaries, and greater primary coverts

Juvenile:• Grayish head with a brownish stripe from crown down to the back• Gray bill and legs• Brownish over all with the head being a light brown• Pale eye-ring

Juveniles

Adult

All Year

Status: Uncommon to rare

21

Wood Duck

This duck is found along lakes and streams of open woodlands. It is a cavity nesting bird. They feed on duckweed, acorns, and some insects. It nests naturally in wood cavities, but will accept a nesting box.

Male:• Large head with drooping green crest• White mark behind cheek that drops down the front of the neck for a partial ring on the neck (spurs in flight)• Brownish breast• Yellowish sides with a white streak at the front• Smallish bill with a black tip• Red eye

Female:• Grayish/brown overall with white-edged side feathers• Black upper mandible, lower yellow• Large white tear drop eye-ring

In flight:• Dark breast and head with two white spurs visible on lower part of the head• White belly• Dark wings and tail

Aix sponsaL 13½”

All Year

Status: CommonDabbling

Female Male

22

Gadwall

This is a common winter dabbling duck that frequents many of our ponds and lakes in Wise County.

Male:• Grayish-brown head, breast, and back• Tail end black includes tail and undertail coverts• Grayish-silver tertials• White secondaries often seen while sitting on water• Thin black bill• Yellow legs

Female:• Overall grayish/brown with buffy edges• Thin bill with orange on sides, black on top• White secondaries often seen while sitting on water• Yellow legs

In flight:• Darkish from breast to head• Dark tail• White secondaries nearest to body• Whitish underwing coverts

Anas streperaL 20”

Winter

Dabbling

Status: Common

Female

Male

23

American Wigeon

This is a common dabbling duck that eats plants near the surface.

Male:• White or buffy forehead• Green around eyes that goes back to the neck• Cheek brown/gray• Small gray bill with black tip• Brown back• Dark tail• White at base of tail

Female:• Gray/brown overall• Small gray bill with black tip

In flight:• Pointed tail• White belly• White underwing coverts ( does not extend past the wrists)• White patch on the upper part of the secondaries• Dark secondaries at the trailing edge

Anas americanaL 20”

Winter

Dabbling

Male Female

Status: Common

24

Mallard

This is a very common dabbling duck that has many domesticated hybrids.

Male:• Dark green head• Thin white ring on neck, (sometimes not visible)• Brown breast• Pale sides• Black tail with a curl• Orange bill

Female:• Overall brown/gray with buff edged feathers• Thin dark eye line• Orange bill with dark center

In flight:• Underwing coverts whitish• Blue/dark secondaries with bold white bars on either side

Anas platyrhynchosL 23”

All Year

Dabbling

Male

Female

Status: Common

Both

Female

Male

Female

25

Blue-winged Teal

A small dabbling duck that likes shallow ponds and feeds with bill outstretched eating seeds and plants.

Male:• Dark head • Overall body brown/black• Black bill• White crescent at base of the bill• White patch at base of tail

Female:• Overall gray/brown with buff edges• Broken white eye-ring• Dark eye line• Black bill• White at the base of the bill

In flight:• Breast and belly overall dark• Above undertail coverts a white patch• Leading edge of wing coverts dark then whitish• Underwing primaries and secondaries dark• Upper wing, pale blue coverts with a small white bar• Upper wing secondaries dark green

Anas discorsL 15½”

Spring

Summer

Female

Male

Dabbling

Pattern of wing same pattern for both

Male

Status: Common

26

Cinnamon Teal

An uncommon dabbling duck for Wise County that likes shallow ponds and feeds with bill outstretched eating seeds and plants.

Male:• Dark cinnamon head, neck, breast, and belly• Dark tail• Black bill that is bigger than teals• Red eye• Yellow legs

Female:• Overall gray/brown with buff edges, but not as distinctive as Blue- winged Teal female• No eye-ring• Dark eyeline• Black bill, but larger than the Blue-winged Teal

In flight (overall the same as a Blue-winged Teal):• Breast, belly and undertail coverts overall dark• Leading edge of wing coverts dark then whitish• Underwing primaries and secondaries dark• Upper wing pale blue coverts with a small white bar• Upper wing secondaries dark green

Anas cyanopteraL 16”

Spring

Dabbling

Status: Uncommon

FemaleMale

27

Northern Shoveler

Not as common as some of other winter dabbling ducks.

Male:• Green head• Large dark bill• White breast• Rufous flank and belly• White patch at base of tail• Dark broad streak down the back to the tail• Dark tail• Yellow eye

Female:• Large orange and black bill• Overall dull brownish with broad pale edges on tertials

In flight:• Upperwing white bar• Underwing white coverts• Large bill

Anas clypeataL 19”

Winter

Dabbling

Male Female

Status: Common

28

Northern Pintail

This is a dabbling duck. When it feeds it looks like a cork with its tail sticking straight up.

Male:• White neck stripe that extends to a white breast• Long dark tail• Gray sides• A patch of white right before the dark tail• Dark back feathers, edged with gray• Bill is gray on sides with thin black on top and bottom

Female:• Overall buffy brown with white edges on body feathers• Black bill• Secondaries thin white edges• Pointed tail

In flight:• Mostly gray under wings• Male's upper wings show green secondaries with white thin band at the edge, female shows two thin bands on the secondaries• Long long dark tail male only• Dark head with the neck stripe - for the male• Long neck, both male and female• Long wings, both male and female

Anas acutaL 21”

Winter

Dabbling

Male

Status: Common

Female

29

Green-winged Teal

This is one of the smaller dabbling ducks.

Male:• Dark rufous head• Green tear drop that extends from the eye back to the neck • Grayish body with light brown breast• White bar between breast and belly• Dark tail with a buffy streak.• Dark slender bill

Female and male basic plumage:• Overall brown with dark buffy edges• Buffy streak on tail• Sometimes you can see a green patch on tertials

In flight:• Overall dark• White belly• Upper wings dark green secondaries and a buffy band• Underside wing has some white at base that extends to wings coverts

Anas creccaL 14”

Winter

Dabbling

Status: Common

Male Female

30

Canvasback

You never know where the diving duck will pop-up after diving for its food.

Male:• Dark brownish head and neck• Black-brown breast• Black tail• Body whitish• Red eye• Black bill

Female:• Head same pattern as male but lighter brown.• Faint buffy eye-ring that trails off the eye• Eye brownish• Grayish body

In flight male:• Extensive white on wings -both upper and underside, and belly• Dark tail, dark head, and dark breast

In flight female:• Same pattern as male but little contrast for the head, neck and tail

Aythya valisineriaL 21”

Male

Female

Winter

Diver

Status: Common

31

Redhead

This is a medium-sized diving duck.

Male:• Rufous head• Blue bill with black tip• Black breast• Gray body• Dark tail• Yellow eye

Female:• Overall brown-gray• Blue-gray with black tipped bill

In flight:• Male dark head, breast, and tail• Female overall brown with slightly lighter belly• Underwing gray to whitish, female a tad browner• Upperside wing, female same pattern but a tad browner

Aythya americanaL 19”

Winter

Diver

Female

Status: Common

Male

Buffleheads in background

288

The Field Sparrow is common in abandoned fields, native grasslands, and brushy areas such as fence-rows.

• Bright pink bill• Lack of bold head markings • Head has a pale reddish crown • Pale reddish eyeline on a gray-blue background, all blended softly together • White eye-ring

The Field Sparrow can be a very hard guy to spot when singing because it often perches in the middle or at the top of a tree.

Spizella pusillaFieldSparrow L 5 ¾”

All Year

Status: Common

289

VesperSparrow

The Vesper Sparrow is a common winter resident of Wise County.

• Overall gray and gray-brown streaked • White outer edges on the tail (especially visible in flight)• White eye-ring • Pale malar that connects with the pale edges of the cheek • Lesser wing coverts are chestnut, and quite distinct when visible, but are difficult or impossible to see in most cases

The Vesper Sparrow is similar to the Savannah Sparrow. The Savannah Sparrow is generally more “colorful”, and less “two-toned”. The Vesper Sparrow lacks a distinct median crown stripe. When both species are together, the Vesper Sparrow’s larger size is noticeable.

Note the white edges on the tail

Pooecetes gramineusL 6 ¼”

Winter

Status: Common

290

Lark Sparrows are a summer resident in Wise County, and are occasionally observed in the winter. They are one of our most distinctive sparrows.

• Bold rufous and black markings on the face • Smudgy black spot on the otherwise clean gray breast • White corners on the tail feathers are usually visible in flight

Can be seen singing high on power lines and trees. They nest on the ground or up to several feet high in trees and shrubs.

LarkSparrowChondestes grammacus

Winter

Summer

L 6 ½”

Status: Common

291

LarkBunting

The Lark Bunting is an irregular visitor in Wise County. At first glance you might mistake the basic plumaged bird for a sparrow or female Red-winged Blackbird.  However, the Lark Bunting has a thick short bill and white wing patch.

Basic plumage and immature:• Bold and dark lateral throat stripe• Stocky bill• Streaked breast and back• Large white patch on greater coverts

We have only seen the Lark Bunting a couple of times in basic plumage here, in an open field on a fence and at the edge of a farm field.

Pages from Claire Curry’s field notes. Dec. 2007

Calamospiza melanocorysL 7”

Winter

Breeding plumage Basic plumage

Status: Irregular

292

SavannahSparrow

The Savannah Sparrow’s key field marks include:

• Streaked breast • Dark malar • Yellow on the eyebrow (amount and brightness varies with the individual and may be lacking) • Streaked crown with whitish median crown stripe• Notched tail• Individuals vary in the boldness and color (gray to reddish brown) of their plumage

Savannah and Vesper sparrows are often in mixed flocks. The Vesper Sparrow's white eye-ring, and its two-toned (gray-brown and whitish) plumage are key differences. Vesper also lacks the distinct median crown stripe of the Savannah Sparrow. Grassy fence rows are excellent places to view both the Savannah and Vesper sparrows.

Passerculus sandwichensisL 5 ½”

Winter

Status: Common

293

GrasshopperSparrow

I love these guys. The males will get on top of a grass blade and just blast out their buzzy insect-like song. The best time to see them is when they are singing in early summer. They are pretty secretive otherwise.

• Flat head with white median crown-stripe • Buffy face with a dark spot on the cheek • Dark eye strip on the upper cheek• Flanks are buffy-er than the breast

We have found them here in the winter, but they are considered uncommon to rare in the winter. Sometimes you can find them on a fence or a shrub in an open field.

Ammodramus savannarumL 5”

Winter

Summer

Status: Common