THE CHIPPING SPARROW. 



No. 35- 



CHIPPING SPARROW. 



A. O. U. No. 560. Spizella socialis (Wils.). 



Synonyms. CHIPPY; HAIR-BIRD. 



Description. Adults: Forehead black divided by short gray line; crown 

 chestnut flecked with black behind ; a gray line over eye, and a black line through 

 it ; entire under parts ashy-gray, unmarked ; back separated from head by gray 

 of nape, strongly streaked by black, pale rufous, and ochraceous ; wings and tail 

 fuscous, edged with whitish; bill black; feet pale. Immature birds have bill 

 yellow below ; the chestnut of crown mixed with black ; and a buffy suffusion 

 of breast and sides in varying proportions. Very young birds are streaked be- 

 low. Length 5.00-5.50 (I27.-I397) ; wing 2.75 (69.9); tail 2.37 (60.2); bill 

 .36 (9.1). 



Photo by J. B. Parker. 

 WHO GETS THE WORM? A CHIPPING SPARROW FAMILY. 



Recognition Marks. \Yarbler size ; blackish forehead and chestnut crown ; 

 song a monotonous trill. 



Nest, a compact' structure of fine twigs, grasses, and (most commonly and 

 often exclusively) rootlets, heavily lined with horse-hair; placed anywhere in 

 bushes or small trees, but preferably on horizontal branches of apple-trees or 

 evergreens. Eggs, 4 or 5, greenish blue, speckled freely or narrowly about the 

 larger end with reddish brown or black. Av. size, .71 x .51 (18. x 13.). 



