Wednesday, May 9, 2012

American Tree Sparrow

AMERICAN TREE SPARROW (SPIZELLA ARBOREA), GREEN, MICHIGAN, MAY 8, 2012

Pentax K20D
Sigma APO 135-400 at 400mm
1/60 sec. f8
ISO 400

This sparrow stopped at our chipmunk feeding rock yesterday on its way to the arctic tundra of northern Canada for the summer. (It winters in the Upper Peninsula.) Its rusty cap suggests the similar Chipping Sparrow, but the brownish eye stripe and two-toned bill are species markers for the American Tree variety. The sight made a nice change from the ubiquitous English Sparrow we see every day back in the Chicago area.

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