SPARROWS 





(560) Spizella passerina 

 passerina (Bech.) 



CHIPPING SPARROW; 

 CHIPPY. Ads. — Plumage as 

 shown; crown chestnut-brown, bor- 

 dered in front with black; a dusky 

 line through the eye; back brown, 

 streaked with dusky; coverts nar- 

 rowly tipped with whitish, forming 

 indistinct wing bars; nape, sides 

 of head and under parts ashy gray, 

 lighter on the throat; bill wholly 

 black. Im. — Similar to the adults 

 except that the crown is dull brown- 

 ish, streaked with black. L., 5.25; 

 W., 2.70; T., 2.25; B., .35. Nest — 

 Of rootlets and horsehair; in trees 

 or bushes; four or five greenish-blue 

 eggs with a wreath of black specks 

 about the large end, .65 x .50. 



Range — Breeds throughout the 

 U. S. and southern Canada. 



nition in the shape of a blackish spot in the middle of the 

 light-colored breast. A closer inspection will show that not 

 only are they larger than the next species, but the crown 

 lacks the black edgings which are always present on the 

 following. 



The greater part of their lives are passed on or near the 

 ground, notwithstanding the fact that they are called Tree 

 Sparrows. When frightened they sometimes take to the 

 tree tops, and in spring they sing their soft, trilling songs 

 from high elevations, but at other times, except when in 

 flight, they are usually seen below the tops of bushes. While 

 not as sociable as our familiar Chippy, they very often 

 enter dooryards to pick up seeds or chaff, and a great many 

 persons make a practice of throwing out canary seed for them. 



CHIPPING SPARROWS are typical birds of civili- 

 zation. They are rarely to be found distant from land 

 that man has reclaimed or cultivated. They will even take 

 up an abode in city yards if they can escape persecution. 



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