PHOTO LIBRARY

Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)

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 - outer rectrices are narrow and pointed on HY/SY, while broad and more rounded outer 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 outer primary coverts - they are relatively narrow and pointed with minimal pale brown edging on HY/SY birds, and relatively broad and rounded with distinct rufous edging 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 and rounded primary coverts, broad rusty edging to greater coverts, broad and fairly truncate rectrices. SY - U Relatively narrow primary coverts, limited rusty edging to greater coverts, narrow and tapered rectrices.

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June - December:

AHY - U Broad and rounded primary coverts, broad rusty edging to greater coverts, broad and fairly truncate rectrices. HY - U Relatively narrow primary coverts, limited rusty edging to greater coverts, narrow and tapered rectrices.

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 may have a less rusty brown appearance than ASY birds, on average, but this is not reliable - wing and tail should be evaluted to determine age.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, April 2006

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SY birds have much narrower and paler rusty bands along the edge of each greater covert than ASY birds, and the primary coverts are both narrower and with paler edging.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, April 2006
 

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SY birds have narrow and tapered rectrices, usually appearing more worn than those of ASY birds.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, April 2006

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 may have a more rusty brown appearance than HY birds, on average, but this is not reliable - wing and tail should be evaluted to determine age.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, October 2005
 

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ASY birds are characterized by broad rusty brown bands along the edges of the greater coverts, and a narrow rusty edge to the broad primary coverts.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, October 2005
 

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Rectrices are broad and fairly truncate on ASY birds.

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, October 2005

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

 

HY birds may have a less rusty brown appearance than AHY birds, on average, but this is not reliable - wing and tail should be evaluated to determine age.  Sex cannot be determined for HY birds.  Notice the darker breast spots on the Alberta bird in the second photo.

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory, October 2007

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, September 2007
 

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HY birds have much narrower and paler rusty bands along the edge of each greater covert than AHY birds, and the primary coverts are both narrower and with paler edging. However, the colour of the coverts can range considerably in eastern birds, from pale gray-brown as in the first photo to rusty as in the second.  A darker brown is seen on the third bird, from Alberta. 

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, October 2005

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory, October 2007

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, September 2007
 

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HY birds have narrow and tapered rectrices.

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory, October 2007

Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, McGill Bird Observatory, October 2005

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW