FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC.: CLAY-COLORED SPARROW 747 
which Mr. W. M. Tyler calls their migration call note and which he says 
is used only when flocking and probably serves to maintain the unity 
of the flock (1916, p. 134). 
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW: Spizella pallida (Swainson) 
Description. — Male: Length (skins) 4.G-5.4 inches, wing 2.3-2.5, tail 2.2-2A, 
bill .3-.4. Female: Length (skins) 4.6-5.2 inches, wing 2.3-2.5, tail 2-2.4, bill .3-.4. 
Adults in summer: Crown light brown striped with black, median stripe gray or buffy 
grayish , line over eye pronounced white or buffy, ear patch buffy brown with enclosing 
black marks strongly contrasted; hind neck gray, unstreaked, back and scapulars 
brown, broadly streaked with black; wing bars buffy; underparts whitish, tinged with 
buffy on chest and sides; bill brown with dusky tip, paler below, legs and feet pale 
brownish. Adults in winter: Similar to summer plumage but crown streaks narrower 
and plumage more tinged with buffy. Young: Upperparts buffy or clay-colored, 
chest and sides buffy, streaked with black. 
Comparisons. —In some fall and winter specimens the Clay-colored and Brewer 
Sparrows are distinguished with difficulty. 
Range. —Great Plains region. Breeds in Canadian, and Transition Zones from 
southeastern Mackenzie, eastern Montana, Manitoba, and Ontario south to Michi¬ 
gan, Illinois, Nebraska, and eastern Colorado; winters south to Cape San Lucas, 
Lower California, Guanajuato, Puebla, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. Recorded from Cari¬ 
boo District, British Columbia. 
State Records. —As it breeds abundantly to the north of New Mexico and is 
known to breed commonly in southeastern Colorado within a few miles of the New 
Mexico line, there is every reason to believe that eventually the Clay-colored Sparrow 
will be found breeding in New Mexico, but as yet it is known there only in migration. 
It enters the State in August and was common the last few days of that month in 
1903 near Las Vegas. By September 3, 1901, it had reached the southern part of the 
State at Carlsbad; it is most common in September and ranges in fall migration at 
least to 8,000 feet at Black Lake (Bailey). It was still common near Santa Rosa 
early in October (Gaut), but was not recorded at a later date. 
In the spring migration it appeared near Gage, 20 miles west of Doming, April 17, 
1885 (Mearns), and was still common May 6, 1910, near Santa Rosa (Lantz and 
Piper).—W. W. Cooke. 
Nest. —In bushes, in open situations; made of grass stems lined with horsehair. 
Eggs: Usually 4, light greenish blue, lightly spotted around the larger end with 
brown. 
General Habits. —The Clay-colored Sparrow, whose head stripes 
show when it raises its crown, is commonly seen on the low oak ridges of 
Minnesota and in the aromatic silver-leaf patches of North Dakota, 
where its hoarse rasping ka-kah-kah-kah-kah has a grateful tang, and 
coming from a number of its clan makes a pleasant leisurely chorus. 
BREWER SPARROW: Spizella breweri Cassin 
Description. — Male: Length (skins) 4.7-5.1 inches, wing 2.4-2.G, tail 2.3-2.4, 
bill .3. Female: Length (skins) 4.6-5.2 inches, wing 2.2-2.G, tail 2.3-2.5, bill .3-.4. 
Adults: Entire upperparts pale brown , streaked with black; underparts whitish. In 
fall and winter, similar but more buffy. Young: Like adults but less sharply streaked 
above, wings with two buffy bands, and chest streaked. 
