EASTERN FOX SPARROW 1411 



whirring of wings as their retreat is invaded, and hie away in tawny 

 clouds, flock after flock." 



Norman A. Wood (1911) records an unusual feeding place on the 

 Charity Islands in Saginaw Bay, Mich.: "This bird was first seen 

 on September 25, and on this date numbers were seen about the 

 pond, where they were feeding on the mud flats exposed by the low 

 water. When alarmed, they flew into the thick willow and rose 

 bushes at the edge of the pond. This was a favorite resort, and most 

 of the birds seen at this time were near this habitat, although it was 

 later seen nearly everywhere on the island, except on the open 

 beaches. It was last seen on October 6, when a single bird was 

 observed. The species appeared to migrate alone." 



The eastern fox sparrow normally winters southward to central 

 Georgia and northern Alabama and Mississippi, though unusually 

 cold winters sporadically force it farther south. T. D. Burleigh 

 (1942) relates how the species suddenly appeared in coastal Missis- 

 sippi in unusual numbers during an unprecedented cold wave in 

 January, 1940. The birds were first seen there January 4 and within 

 a few days were actually plentiful. As no snow fell along the coast, 

 the birds were able to obtain their normal food without trouble, and 

 appeared to escape entirely the mortality experienced in more north- 

 erly sections where prolonged cold was followed by snow and freezing 



rain. 



Distribution 



Range. — Northeastern Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and northern 

 Labrador south to southern Mississippi, Alabama, and central 

 Florida. 



Breeding range. — The eastern fox sparrow breeds from north- 

 eastern Manitoba (York Factory), northern Ontario (Fort Severn), 

 northern Quebec (Richmond Gulf), and northern Labrador (Nach- 

 vak) south to north-central Ontario (Favourable Lake, Moose Fac- 

 tory), southeastern Quebec (Basque Island; Magdalen Islands), 

 northwestern New Brunswick (Summit Depot), and southern 

 Newfoundland. 



Winter range. — Winters from southern Wisconsin (Hartland), 

 southern Michigan (Ann Arbor; rarely Manistique in northern 

 Michigan), southern Ontario (rarely; Reaboro, Ottawa), northern 

 Vermont, Maine (York and Cumberland counties), and southern 

 New Brunswick (Fredericton) south to southern Mississippi (Deer 

 Island), Alabama (Montgomery County), and central Florida (Pen- 

 sacola, Kissimmee); casually to Colorado (Denver) and southern 

 Florida (Punta Rassa). 



Casual records. — Accidental in Bermuda, Greenland (Sukker- 

 toppen), Iceland, Germany (Mellum Island), and Italy (Genoa). 



