tags: Leucistic Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Leucistic Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia, photographed at the far end of the Nisqually River, Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, near Olympia, Washington State. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
NOTE: If you have seen this bird or images of it, please don't "spill the beans" for everyone else who hasn't yet seen it!
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I'm not sure what bird it is, but I'll guess it's a partial albino, and that the white feathers would normally be some other color.
Ignoring the leucistic bits and concentrating on the plumage that's left, as well as the bird's general shape and context, I'm getting a "Sooty-race Fox Sparrow" feeling. Though it doesn't seem quite right to use "sooty" with this bird, I'm going to go with that for my guess.
Quoting Sibley: "uniform brown [back]; sometimes slightly redder on wings and tail", "large brown spots [on breast]", "no wing bars". And the way that guy is hopping around in those leaves says "Fox Sparrow" to me.
Fun bird!
Dunnock (Prunella modularis) that got lost and grew grey plumage over its mistake?
It looks like a song or fox sparrow with white instead of regular colored feathers over its head. The same thing happens to cardinals around here, not sure what causes it. Looks pretty cool, though.
Isn't that a snow bunting? Plectrophenax nivalis? I have no clue whether those would ever get to Washington though. Or maybe some hybrid.
The head and all looks like one, however the underside is a tad bit too much barred. And it should have a bit more white in the wing, maybe its a juvenile?
Hm.