PHOTO LIBRARY

American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea)

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

common   fairly common   uncommon   rare   occasional   no records

 

QUICK TIPS: 1) Look at the tail - uniformly narrow and pointed rectrices OR contrastingly fresh and broad central rectrices are indicative of HY/SY, while uniformly broad and more rounded rectrices are typical of AHY/ASY 2) Check the outer primary coverts - they are relatively narrow and pointed and contrastingly paler than the adjacent greater coverts on HY/SY birds, and relatively broad and rounded, with rufous edging, and uniform in colour and wear with the greater coverts on AHY/ASY birds Note that, as is the case for many sparrows, a large percentage of intermediates cannot be reliably aged in spring.

January - July:

ASY - U Broad, rounded, dark primary coverts; broad and fairly truncate rectrices.        SY - U Relatively narrow and pale primary coverts, narrow and tapered rectrices.

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June - December:

AHY - U Broad, rounded, dark primary coverts; broad and fairly truncate rectrices.  HY - U Relatively narrow and pale primary coverts, narrow and tapered rectrices.

Body plumage provides no useful information about age or sex.  Sex can be determined only during the breeding season by brood patch or cloacal protuberance.

 

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Body plumage provides no useful information about age or sex.  Sex can be determined only during the breeding season by brood patch or cloacal protuberance.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, December 2006
 

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Note that the primary coverts have some rufous edging, and the outer ones are broad and rounded.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, December 2006
 

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The outer rectrices in particular are broad, with rounded tips.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, December 2006

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Body plumage provides no useful information about age; sex cannot be determined for HY birds.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, October 2005
 

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Note the minimal grayish edging on the primary coverts, and the more pointed tips to the outer coverts compared to AHY birds.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, October 2005
 

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Rectrices are typically somewhat narrower and more pointed than on AHY birds, though as the photo below shows, the distinction can be somewhat subtle.  In this species tail wear tends to be less evident than in many other species, so many HY/SY individuals have relatively fresh looking rectrices.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, October 2005

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