Adults
Description
Size: 5.5”
Plumage/Description: Male and female plumage similar. Breeding plumage is more crisp and defined, non-breeding plumage is paler and muted. Throat, breast, belly an ash-colored gray, back more brown than gray. Fine streaking on the crown of the head, with a black stripe through the eye and a noticeable malar stripe. A faint, incomplete eye-ring visible with binoculars. Tail feathers slightly forked.
Habitat: Areas with an abundance of native plants, primarily in an oak/chaparral and pinyon/juniper habitat.
Time of year: Occasionally in winter, more common in both spring and fall as they pass through this area during migration.
Relative Abundance: Uncommon in winter, fairly common in spring and fall during migration.
Behavior: A ground feeding species that frequently occurs in mixed flocks with other ground-feeding seed-eaters such as Dark-eyed Juncos, Chipping Sparrows and White-crowned Sparrows.
Diet: Seeds, insects
Similar species: Most likely to be confused with Chipping Sparrows in non-breeding plumage.
Best Sites: Pioneer Park, Acker Park.
