Last summer I decided to tackle the world of Sparrows. I’d been a little intimidated by this category of birds. There are 49species in the US and Canada, which is a lot. Also, to the inexperienced eye they all look pretty much the same: dull, brown and featureless. I’d lumped them into the SSS category, Some Sort of Sparrow. Then I saw and heard the stunning Lark Sparrow and my interest was peaked. So I did the nerdiest of bird nerd things to do and took an online course from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. I’m not sure if it was worth it but by that time it was too hot to go birding so what else could I do? 

In Texas our sparrow population balloons in the fall and winter. By October I was seeing White Crowned Sparrows, White Throated Sparrows and Harris’ Sparrows in fields and woods near my house.

I then took a trip down to the King Ranch in South Texas. I was lucky and got a great look at a Botteri Sparrow. There are few birds as drab and featureless as a Botteri Sparrow. It has no streaking on the breast or belly, no distinct malar stripes, no distinguishing facial markings and its pretty much brown on brown. The guide identified it for me and if I ever see it again (doubtful as its range is very restricted) I’m sure I still won’t recognize it. I have no pictures of this unspectacular bird however, I was also rewarded with my first siting of a Black Throated Sparrow. I saw several perched on a creosote bush just where Cornell had predicted they’d be. What a gorgeous bird.

In January we had a rare snow event and I discovered that sparrows are much easier to see with a white background. I had several good looks at a Fox Sparrow as well as a Spotted Towhee. I also saw Vesper Sparrows on an abandoned golf course near my house as well as the very common Lincoln’s Sparrow.

And I finally saw a Swamp Sparrow. According to Merlin I had been in its vicinity on more than one occasion but had never gotten eyes on it. I have also never seen a Le Conte’s Sparrow, not for lack of trying and a Grasshopper Sparrow has proven elusive. In fact, of the 49 sparrow species in North America, I think I’ve identified 20, but who’s counting?