PHOTO LIBRARY

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)

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, but beware that some individuals may replace their tail early, so this is less reliable for AHY/ASY 2) Check the 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 and not contrasting in colour or 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 Crown rufous with no or few dark streaks, dark and broad primary coverts, rectrices relatively broad and truncate. SY - U Crown rufous with few to many dark streaks, pale and narrow primary coverts, rectrices narrow and tapered.

-

June - December:

AHY - U Crown brown with some rufous feathers, dark and broad primary coverts, rectrices relatively broad and truncate. HY - U Crown brown with no or few rufous feathers, pale and narrow primary coverts, rectrices narrow and tapered. JUV - U Crown brown with no or few rufous feathers, pale and narrow primary coverts, rectrices narrow and tapered.

Body plumage provides no useful information about sex, which can be determined only during the breeding season by brood patch or cloacal protuberance.  SY birds average more dark streaks on the crown than ASY birds, but wing and tail provide more reliable indicators of age.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, May 2005

---

The primary coverts are paler than the adjacent greater coverts, and with narrow, pale edging.  They are also relatively narrow. 

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, May 2005
 

---

The rectrices of SY birds are narrow and tapered, though not always as much as in the rather extreme example below.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, May 2005

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

 

Body plumage provides no useful information about sex, which can be determined only during the breeding season by brood patch or cloacal protuberance.  AHY birds usually have more rufous feathers on the crown than HY birds, but there can be overlap, and the wing and tail provide more reliable indicators of age.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, SMcGill Bird Observatory, eptember 2005
 

---

The primary coverts on AHY birds are broad and rounded, and are dark brown - similar in colour to the adjacent greater coverts.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, September 2005
 

---

Chipping Sparrows have rather pointed rectrices at any age, but the feathers are broader for AHY birds.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, September 2005

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

 

HY birds usually have fewer rufous feathers on the crown than AHY birds, but there can be overlap, and the wing and tail provide more reliable indicators of age.  Sex cannot be determined for HY birds. 

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, September 2005
 

---

The primary coverts on HY birds are narrower than on AHY birds, and are distinctly paler than the adjacent greater coverts.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, September 2005
 

---

Chipping Sparrows have rather pointed rectrices at any age, but the feathers are narrower for HY birds, and often noticeably more abraded.  Uniform growth bars across the tail are also often present, as in the photo below.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, September 2005

 

Photo by Seabrooke Leckie, McGill Bird Observatory, August 2006
 

---

The primary coverts on HY birds are narrower than on AHY birds, and are distinctly paler than the adjacent greater coverts.

Photo by Seabrooke Leckie, McGill Bird Observatory, August 2006
 

---

Chipping Sparrows have rather pointed rectrices at any age, but the feathers are narrower for HY birds, and often noticeably more abraded.  Uniform growth bars across the tail are also often present, as in the photo below.

Photo by Seabrooke Leckie, McGill Bird Observatory, August 2006

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW