Jan., 1909. Birds of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory 



595 



bar; tail feathers, dusky brown, narrowly edged with whitish; upper 

 mandible blackish; lower mandible, mostly yellow; sexes, similar. 



Length, about 5.90; wing, 2.90; tail, 2.75; bill, .30. 



An abundant migrant and common winter resident in both Illi- 

 nois and Wisconsin, possessing musical ability above the average. 

 Its song is delightful, but difficult to describe. The notes are loud 

 and clear, usually ending with a warble. It arrives in October and 

 leaves for the north in April. 



260. Spizella passerina (Bechst.). 

 Chipping Sparrow. 



Spizella socialis (Wils.), A. 0. U. Check List, 1895, P- 232. 



Distr.: "Eastern North America, west to the Rocky Mountains, 

 north to Great Slave Lake, and south to eastern Mexico, breeding 

 from the Gulf States northward." (A. O. U.) 



Adult: Crown, chestnut rufous; forehead, blackish, with a spot of 

 gray on the centre joining base of culmen; a grayish superciliary 

 stripe and a narrow black line 

 extending from the eye back- 

 wards; bill, mostly black; under 

 parts, ashy, shading into whitish 

 on throat and belly ; back, streak- 

 ed with black, dull rufous and 

 grayish brown; greater and 

 middle wing coverts, narrowly 

 tipped with white; rump, ashy 

 or grayish, sometimes streaked; 

 primaries and tail feathers, 

 dusky brown, with very narrow 

 pale edges; sexes, similar. 



Young birds have the crown streaked like the back (without ru- 

 fous) and the breast and sides streaked with dusky. 



Length, 5.25; wing, 2.75; tail, 2.25; bill, .35. 



The Chipping Sparrow or " Chippy," as it is often called, is one of 

 our most familiar birds. It is a common summer resident in Illinois 

 and Wisconsin, arriving in April and leaving for the south in October. 

 It is a cheerful but not a particularly good songster, the usual notes 

 being a rather long trill combined with the familiar and oft repeated 

 chip. 



It breeds in May and June. The nest is in a tree or bush, and is 

 composed of grass and plant stems, usually lined with horse hair, 



Chipping Sparrow. 



