Sparrow WESTERN BIRDS 



These birds place their nests in a crotch of a sage, or 

 other bush, using small twigs, sage bark, and dried 

 grasses, lining them with wool, rabbit-fur, cow hair, or 

 feathers. 



Dawson says of the song of this bird in Washington 

 that in general characteristics it is a sort of subdued 

 musical croaking, mellow and rich at close quarters, but 

 with little carrying power. He says that the bird throws 

 its head well back in singing, and carries the tail more 

 nearly horizontal than do most Sparrows. Several songs 

 are given, they seeming to differ in different parts of the 

 State. One is Heo, chip peway, chi^ peway, chip peway; 

 another is Tup, tup, to weely, chup, tup. A more pre- 

 tentious ditty, occupying two seconds in delivery, runs 

 Hooriedoppety, weeter wee, doodlety pootdt er, — an 

 ecstasy song, wherein the little singer seems to be in- 

 toxicated with the aroma of his favorite sage. 



In the Owens Valley and adjacent areas in eastern 

 California and extreme western Nevada is found the 

 California Sage Sparrow (Amphispiza nevadensis 

 canescens), a bird resembling the preceding one. Wil- 

 let says of it that it is a summer resident of the elevated 

 Upper Sonoran and Transition sage valleys of the south- 

 ern Sierras, south to the Sierra San Gabriel, Los Angeles 

 County. Slightly migratory to lower levels in winter, 

 south at least to Riverside County. 



GENUS AIMOPHILA: RUFOUS- 

 CROWNED SPARROW. 



Rufous-Crowned Sparrow: Aimophila ruficeps 

 ruficeps. 



FAMILY— FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



The Rufous-crowned Sparrow is a California bird 

 that is found west of the Sierra Nevadas and as far north 

 as Marin and Placer Counties. 



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