Field Sparrow: By Ear

Since early spring I've been hearing the ever-vocal Field Sparrow. Even as I write this sentence, a Field Sparrow sings in the distance. My house is situated below a large pasture, some 30 acres or more. Likewise within my own property boundaries I've a mix of open and wooded areas, so I hear the Field Sparrow all around me all day long.

No joke. This is one bird that doesn't seem to loose interest in singing. He sings throughout the morning, afternoon, and well into the evening.

I don't have a photograph to share as I could find none available through my usual Public Domain sources. But let me describe him as best I can. The Field Sparrow is certainly not a showy bird. Like many sparrows, he's a small buffy reddish-brown bird with a grayish breast and a reddish cap. Tory Peterson (of Peterson's Field Guides) provided us various ways to organize sparrows into groups--for instance, those that have streaked breasts and those that have clear breasts. Our Field Sparrow belongs in the latter group. You'll also find him in the category of sparrows with reddish caps.

Let me introduce my own new category: sparrow that loves to sing all day long! Listen to the audio of this quick clip. Here you'll hear two males singing--a duet, if you will. First one bird sings, then the other. There's a bit of a lull before the first bird starts to sing and the second, impatient for his turn, chimes in for the finale.

Till next time . . . happy birding!

Georgia Anne