SPARROWS 



(540) Pooecetes gramineus 

 gramineus 



(Gmel.) (Gr., grass inhabitant). 



VESPER SPARROW; GRASS- 

 FINCH; EAY-WINGED SPAR- 

 ROW. Outer tail feathers wholly 

 white. Plumage as shown, the sexes 

 being very similar except that the 9 

 has less chestnut on the shoulder; 

 tail feathers, except the outer, black- 

 ish; upper parts Cjuite streaked; 

 under parts less so. L., 6.00; W., 

 3.00; T., 2.30; B., .40. Nest — Of 

 grasses, in weedy fields or pastures. 



Range — Eastern North America. 

 Breeds from southern Canada south 

 to N. Car. and Mo. Winters in 

 southern U. S. (s4oa) WESTERN 

 VESPER SPARROW (P. g. con- 

 finis). A paler race found west of 

 the Plains. 



VESPER SPARROWS are so called because of their 

 habit of commonly singing from sundown until dusk. Not 

 that they are silent at all other times, for they are far from it, 

 but at this particular time their pretty little songs ring out 

 loud and clear above those of other birds. It is a song very 

 difficult of description, combining parts of the clear pipings 

 of the Field Sparrow with phrases from that of the Song 

 Sparrow. 



These birds are also quite frequently spoken of as Bay- 

 winged Sparrows, because the shoulders, or lesser wing 

 coverts, are a bright bay color. The white outer tail feathers 

 serve best to identify them, for few of our summer ground 

 birds have such a distinctive mark. Many designate this 

 species as the Grass Finch, because it is usually seen in grassy 

 fields or pastures. Their nests are composed of fine grasses 

 neatly arranged in hollows in the ground, often in short 

 grass in the middle of fields with little or no protection or 

 concealment. Yet they are not easily found, for the female 

 usually runs along the ground for some distance before 



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