Bird Description

The common streaked sparrow in many areas. Occurs in a variety of habitats from gardens and forest edges to weedy fields. A familiar bird for most of us and often approachable. Sits on posts or bushes as it sings, a cheery range of up-and-down trills. Never flies far, seeming to move slowly and methodically through vegetation or on the ground, often giving its chimp note. On migration, will form groups with other sparrows. It is then that you can see the great variation within the many populations. ID: A large sparrow with a fairly long tail that is rounded at the tip. Not so potbellied as some, the chest seems to melt into the neck. All plumages have thick streaks, usually a warm brown matched by the upperpart color. The dark malar and central breast spot stand out. Head is rounded and quite small, an array of lines; the gray supercilium is the one that stands out. Often appears brown-capped. Upperparts have broader and more diffuse streaks than similar sparrows. Wings and tail sometimes more rufous. LISP is smaller, slimmer, grayer and with finer streaking.