The Western Chipping Sparrow 



Recognition Marks. — Warbler size; chestnut of crown and whitish super- 

 ciliary distinctive; adult unmarked below. Young birds of the year heavily streaked 

 above on a pinkish brown ground. 



Nesting. — Nest: A compact or careless structure of weed-stems, grasses and 

 (most commonly and often exclusively) rootlets, heavily lined with horsehair, placed 

 at moderate heights in bushes or trees, indifferently in riparian shrubbery, orchard 

 trees, or evergreens. Eggs: 3 to 5, commonly 4; bluish green (pale niagara green), 

 sharply and sparingly spotted and marked, chiefly in ring about larger end, with brown- 

 ish black, paling variously, according to depth below surface, to deep dull lavender 

 or vinaceous lilac. Av. size 17 .\ 12.7 (.67 x .50). Season: April-July; two broods. 



Taken in Fresno County 

 Photo by the A uthor 



A TYPICAL VALLEY-FLOOR NESTING SITE 



Range of Spizella passerina. — North America from southern and western Can- 

 ada south to Nicaragua. 



Range of 5. p. arizonce. — Western North America. Breeds from the southern 

 border of the United States, chiefly in the mountains north of the Yukon Valley and 

 the Mackenzie (Fort Good Hope) east to eastern Colorado, western Manitoba, etc. 

 Winters from southern California to Cape San Lucas and south over the Mexican 

 plateau. 



Distribution in California. — Breeds locally in Upper Sonoran zone west of 

 the Sierras, and almost everywhere in Transition zones up to limit of trees in Boreal. 



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