GROSBEAKS, FINCHES, SPARROWS: Family Fringillidae [559] 



breeding Savannah Sparrows in Oregon west of the Cascades, and we 

 cannot correlate our birds with any of the forms listed. They are most 

 like P. a. nevadensis but are smaller and darker in comparable plumages, 

 and the young birds have distinctly more yellow tones in their plumages. 



Since its original description by Bishop this form has appeared in 

 Oregon literature only twice. Walker (192.4) listed it from Tillamook, 

 and we included it in Birds of the Portland Area (Jewett and Gabrielson 

 1919), where it is a common summer bird in the river-bottom pastures. 

 We have one straggler, a bird taken at Sparks Lake, Deschutes County, 

 on September 7, that is our only specimen from outside the breeding area, 

 although this Savannah Sparrow undoubtedly passes through the Ump- 

 qua and Rogue River Valleys in migration. It happens, however, that 

 our specimens from this territory are of other forms. 



While in Oregon, Brook's Savannah Sparrow is characteristically a 

 bird of the open grasslands, where it is a common but inconspicuous 

 summer resident. It appears in April and remains until late September 

 (earliest date, April i; latest, October 7, both Multnomah County). Its 

 insectlike song, given from a fence post or the top of a weed stalk, at- 

 tracts little more attention than does the dull-colored, mouselike bird 

 itself, which is overlooked by most people. Breeding records are scarce, 

 but a set of five eggs was taken by Alex Walker at Tillamook on May 

 2.6, 192.8. 



Bryant's Sparrow: 



Passerculus sandwichensis bryanti Ridgway 



DESCRIPTION. "Like sandwichensis, but darker and browner, with under parts 

 more heavily streaked with black, and in winter plumage, chest, and sides strongly 

 tinged with brownish buff. Male: length (skins) 4.53-5.00, wing 2.. 51-1. 80, tail 

 i. 74-1.00, bill .40-. 45. Female: length (skins) 4.40-4.65, wing 1.47-1. 69, tail 

 1.70-1.91, bill .40-. 43." (Bailey) Nest and eggs: Same as for other Savannah 

 Sparrows. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds from southwestern Oregon along coast to San Luis 

 Obispo County, California. Winters southward along coast. In Oregon: Found 

 sparingly as summer resident of coastal marshes of Curry County south to California 

 line. 



BRYANT'S SPARROW was first detected in Oregon by Dr. Louis B. Bishop, 

 when he collected specimens at Wedderburn, July z and 3, 19x9 (Jewett 

 i93oa). Since that time Jewett has collected two adults and two young 

 birds at the mouth of Pistol River (July n, 1934) that are undoubtedly 

 of this race. This establishes beyond question this form as a summer 

 resident of the extreme southwestern corner of the State. 



