The Bell Sparrow 



Taken in San Bernardino County 



Pholo by Wright M. Pierce 



BELL SPARROW 



more or less margined with wood-brown; sides, flanks, and crissum strongly tinged with 

 vinaceous buff, all sparingly but strongly streaked with dusky; a black spot on center 

 of breast; remaining underparts white. Bill bluish dusky above, lighter below; feet 

 and legs dark brown. Young birds follow rather closely the pattern of parents, but 

 are duller and are abundantly sharp-streaked with blackish on breast and sides of 

 breast. Length of adult male about 152.4 (6.00); wing 66.8 (2.63); tail 66.3 (2.61); 

 bill 9.1 (.36); tarsus 20.6 (.81). Female slightly smaller. 



Recognition Marks. — Small sparrow size; sage or low-chaparral-haunting 

 habits; dark gray coloration above, white below, with black spot (very small) on 

 breast, and long submalar streaks, like drooping moustachios, of black outlined against 

 white. Much darker every way than A. nevadensis. 



Nesting. — Nest: A sturdy cup composed chiefly of weed-stems and flower 

 pedicels, and heavily lined with dried flower-heads; placed one or two feet up in sage- 

 bush or other desert shrub. Eggs: 3 or 4; pale greenish blue, or bluish white, marked 

 lightly or heavily, sometimes mottled, with reddish brown (cameo brown, testaceous, 

 onion-skin pink). Av. of 14 eggs in M. C. O. coll.: 18.6 x 14.3 (.73 x .56). Season: 

 April to June; two broods. 



General Range. — Common resident in California, locally, in Upper Sonoran 

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