PHOTO LIBRARY

Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)

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 outer primary coverts - they are relatively narrow and pointed and brown on HY/SY birds, and relatively broad and rounded and dark brown 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 dark brown primary coverts, broad and fairly truncate rectrices. SY - U Relatively narrow dull brown primary coverts, narrow and tapered rectrices.

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June - December:

AHY - U Broad and rounded dark brown primary coverts, broad and fairly truncate rectrices.       HY - U Relatively narrow dull brown 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.

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, May 2007

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Primary coverts are dull brown on SY birds, and usually look relatively narrow, tapered, and abraded. 

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, May 2007
 

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Tail shape is a good indicator of age for Savannah Sparrows, as SY birds have narrow and very tapered outer rectrices, while ASY birds have broader and relatively truncate rectrices.  Note that in the example below, the bird has replaced several of its central rectrices (r1 to r3 on both sides) while retaining the outermost juvenile rectrices (r4 to r6 on either side)

Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, May 2007

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

 

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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Primary coverts are dark brown on AHY birds, and relatively broad and rounded.

 

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Tail shape is a good indicator of age for Savannah Sparrows, as HY birds have narrow and very tapered outer rectrices, while AHY birds have broader and relatively truncate rectrices.

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW

 

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

Photo by Seabrooke Leckie, August 2006
 

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Primary coverts are dull brown on SY birds, and usually look relatively narrow and tapered.

Photo by Seabrooke Leckie, August 2006
 

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Tail shape is a good indicator of age for Savannah Sparrows, as HY birds have narrow and very tapered outer rectrices, while AHY birds have broader and relatively truncate rectrices.

Photo by Seabrooke Leckie, August 2006

 

RETURN TO AGE/SEX OVERVIEW