A. Chipping Sparrow
Black-eye line, prominent rufous-cap, small black bill, mostly light-gray on the belly with no streaks. Clean, white supercilium and very little moustachial stripe and almost no malar stripe.
Comparison Photo
B. Lincoln's Sparrow
Small, dark bill. Buffy breast band to sides and flanks with fine dark flecks. Broad gray supercilium, white throat with dark malar stripe. Slight lightly colored eye-ring. White belly. Slight central spot on breast not always visible. Close-up look reveals rufous cap has black outline.
Comparison Photo
C. Swamp Sparrow
Golden morning sunlight made this a little more difficult picking up the gray face and white throat. Prominent rufous buffy sides and flanks with white or light-gray belly. No wingbars.
Comparison Photo
D. Field Sparrow
Small, pink bill. Eye-ring detectable in this picture. Gray face and rusty colored crown (again, barely noticeable in picture). Pinkish legs. Virtually no malar stripe. Weak wingbars.
Comparison Photo
E. American Tree Sparrow
Bicolored bill. Central breast spot. Rufous cap. Rufous stripe behind eye. Gray face and light brown throughout sides and flanks. Rufous shoulder patch. Two prominent white wingbars.
Comparison Photo
F. Song Sparrow
Dark bill. Mostly white underparts. Breast striping with central spot (barely noticeable on this bird) - but patterns are longer and thicker than Lincoln's Sparrow. Broad brown malar stripe.
Comparison Photo
G. White-crowned Sparrow (1st winter)
Orange-pink bill. No malar or moustachial stripe. Unmarked gray underparts. White wingbars. No eyering. While resembling American Tree Sparrow, their long, slender body and slightly raised crest can sometimes give them away. Head can sometimes seem small in proportion to body compared to similar plumaged sparrows.
Comparison Photo