342 
FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 
dally along the coast of Bering Sea, where, on entering a thicket, 
the protesting tsip of the gentle bird may be heard on all sides. 
Coming south in fall, ochracea reaches Colorado in October and 
spends the winter, Prof. Cooke says, on the Plains and the lower 
part of the mountains, being common up to 7000 feet and occa¬ 
sionally seen as high as 9000 feet. 
560a. Spizella socialis arizonse Coues. Western Chipping 
Sparrow. 
Adults in summer. — Bill black ; top of head rufous, sometimes with in¬ 
dication of ashy median line and dark streak¬ 
ing 5 forehead blackish, cut by median white 
line; superciliary stripe white or grayish, 
bordered below by narrow black eye stripe; 
back brownish or pale huffy, streaked with 
black; rump and upper tail coverts gray; 
sides of head dull gray ; under parts white or 
ashy. Adults in winter : similar, but colors dul¬ 
ler and darker, tinged with brown on lower 
parts, black on forehead obscure or wanting, 
crown usually streaked with dusky, bill 
brown. Young: top of head brownish, 
streaked with blackish; superciliary huffy, 
streaked ; breast streaked; tarsus less than 
twice as long as bill. Male: length (skins) 4.82-5.43, wing 2.64-3.00, tail 
2.11-2.57, bill .36-.41. Female: length (skins) 4.87-5.26, wing 2.62-2.98, 
tail 2.12-2.42, bill .35-.40. 
Remarks. — The paler coloration of the western chipping sparrow dis¬ 
tinguishes it from the eastern, while the absence of pectoral blotch and 
striking wing bars distinguishes it from the western tree sparrow, and 
the black marks on the forehead and behind the eye still further separate 
it from the Worthen sparrow. 
Distribution. —Breeds in Transition and Upper Sonoran zones from 
Alaska, perhaps to northern Mexico, and from the Rocky Mountains and 
western Texas to the Pacific coast; migrates to Lower California and 
southern border of Mexican tablelands. 
Nest. — In trees or bushes, made of grass stems and lined with horse¬ 
hair. Eggs: 3 to 5, light greenish blue, speckled chiefly around the 
larger end with black and brown. 
Food. — Mainly caterpillars and other injurious insects and weed seed. 
In southern California, Mr. Grinnell says the western chippy is 
common about gardens and orchards in the mesa regions, breeding 
in the conifers on the mountains to 8500 feet. In Colorado and 
Arizona it breeds up to nearly 10,000 feet, though most commonly 
from 6000 to 7000 feet. 
At St. Mary’s Lake, Montana, Mr. Howell heard one sing near his 
camp several nights as late as nine o’clock. 
561. Spizella pallida (Sicatns.). Clay-colored Sparrow. 
Adults in summer. — Crown light brown with pale median stripe and 
Uack-streaked sides; superciliary buffy or whitish; sides of head huffy 
Fig. 431. 
