The Western Chipping Sparrow 



they are rare even in northern Washington. At the same time, it is 

 highly probable that northern California has enjoyed several unrecorded 

 visitations, and a recurrence is always a lively possibility. During its 

 Southland forays, the bird's food, consisting, as it does, of grass- and weed- 

 seed and dried berries, is found near the ground; and so, for the season, 

 the name Tree Sparrow seems inconsistent. When persistently annoyed, 

 however, the flock will rise to the tree-tops in straggling fashion, and 

 there either await the withdrawal of the intruder, or else make off at a 

 good height. 



The song of the Tree Sparrow is sweet and tuneful, affording a 

 pleasing contrast to the monotonous ditty of the Western Chipping Spar- 

 row. Snatches of song may be heard, indeed, on almost any mild day in 

 winter; but the spring awakening assures a more pretentious effort. A 

 common form runs, Swee-ho, sweet, sweet, sweet, with notes of a most 

 flattering tenderness. But we may only guess at the bird's full powers, 

 for the home-making is in Alaska. 



No. 54 



Western Chipping Sparrow 



A. 0. U. No. 560a. Spizella passerina arizonae Coues. 



Synonyms. — Chippy. Hair-bird. 



Description. — Adult male in breeding plumage: Crown bright chestnut (auburn 

 or hazel); continuation on hindhead sharply streaked with black; extreme forehead 

 narrowly black and divided by white line; a white superciliary and a narrow black 

 line through eye; rump neutral gray; nuchal collar (crossed centrally by black streaks) 

 neutral gray shading on sides of head and neck and sides into dull white of under- 

 pays; back and scapulars wood-brown, or avellaneous, heavily streaked with black; 

 wings and tail fuscous, blackening on exposed tips of tertiaries and unexposed portions 

 of wing-coverts; lesser coverts grayish olive to fuscous; middle and greater coverts 

 tipped with white or buffy white, forming two inconspicuous bars. Bill black in highest 

 plumage only; otherwise brown above and much lighter to pale below; legs light brown, 

 feet darker. Adult female in spring: Much like adult male and sometimes indis- 

 tinguishable, but usually chestnut of crown largely mixed with black shaft-streaks 

 and brownish or buffy skirtings. Yearling females in spring are scarcely chestnut 

 on crown — merely a more intense wood-brown. In fall and winter: Hazel of crown 

 much admixed with black and buffy; remaining plumage softer and more blended, 

 with increase of grayish brown. Immature birds are like adults in autumn, but crown 

 without chestnut, — exactly like back, and sides of head, including superciliary, tinged 

 with buffy. Juvenals are like immatures, but less rufescent, more grayish or flaxen, 

 and are heavily streaked with dusky on breast and sides. Length of adult male 

 146-152. 4 (5.75-6.00); wing 72 (2.84); tail 61 (2.41); bill 9.6 (.38); tarsus 17 (.67). Fe- 

 males a little less. 



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