189. Harris' Sparrow ( Zonotrichia 
guerula (Nuttall)) 
This bird has been reported so 
few times that it must be considered 
a rare migrant. It has been sighted 
in 1946 in the 1936 burn area near 
Camp Siskiwit by Gensch, and on Passage 
Island by Shelton, September 20 and 22, 
1961. Other observations were by 
Wood (20) and Gilbert (30) . 
190. White-crowned Sparrow ( Zono ¬ 
trichia leucophrys (Forster)) 
Most observers consider this spe¬ 
cies a rare or uncommon migrant, al¬ 
though Aldous and Krefting found these 
sparrows numerous on Houghton Ridge in 
May 1945 ( 25) . It has been observed 
in clearings or partial clearings near 
Washington Harbor and Lake Richie. 
Other observations are reported by 
Wood, Peet, and McCreary (22) , Peet 
(14) , Wood (21) , Aldous and Krefting 
( 25) , Gilbert (30) , and Gensch (29). 
**191. White-throated Sparrow ( Zono ¬ 
trichia albicollis (Gmelin)) 
The white-throated sparrow is 
one of the most characteristic birds 
of Isle Royale. It is a common summer 
resident, and several nests have been 
found. It is especially abundant near 
the water, the lake shores, the streams, 
the beaver ponds, as well as in the 
burn area, and near clearings in the 
coniferous forest types. Shelton heard 
them singing as early as May 10 and as 
late as October 10 (39) . Observations 
have been made by Wood, Peet, and 
McCreary ( 22) , Peet ( 14) , Wood (21), 
Cahalane (27 ,28) , Gilbert (30), Gensch 
( 29) , Lee and Krefting (36) , and 
Krefting and Lee (34). 
192. Fox Sparrow ( Passerella iliaca 
(Merrem)) 
This sparrow has been observed on 
a few occasions in clearings or partial 
clearings, and it is considered an un¬ 
common migrant. Wood (1951) collected 
a specimen on the island in 1929. 
Gilbert (1946) listed it as a migrant 
at Washington Harbor. Shelton saw the 
species four times in 1963, all between 
September 28 and October 17 ( 39) . 
193. Lincoln's Sparrow ( Melospiza 
lincolnii (Audubon)) 
The Lincoln's sparrow is a common 
migrant and has been observed most 
often in the vicinity of clearings at 
such places as Washington Harbor, 
Passage Island, and Malone Bay. Ob¬ 
servations have been reported by Wood, 
Peet, and McCreary (22), Peet (14,L5), 
Wood ( 21) , and Krefting and Shields 
(35). 
**194. Swamp Sparrow ( Melospiza 
georgiana (Latham)) 
The swamp sparrow is a common 
summer resident. Shelton found it 
fairly common in its particular habi¬ 
tat -- open bog vegetation, beaver 
meadows, and marshy pond margins. 
Peet (14) reported seeing breeding 
adults and an adult with one young. 
Other observations are by Wood ( 21) , 
Gilbert (30) , Gensch ( 29) , and 
Krefting and Lee (34). 
*195. Song Sparrow ( Melospiza 
melodia (Wilson)) 
The song sparrow is a common 
summer resident and might be con¬ 
sidered one of the characteristic 
summer birds of the island. The spe¬ 
cies is less abundant than the white- 
throated sparrow, since its distri¬ 
bution is more restricted. It is 
found in clearings or partial clear¬ 
ings near the lake shore and beaches 
as well as near streams and beaver 
ponds. Observations are reported 
by Peet (14), Fargo (7), Wood ( 21) , 
Cahalane (27) , Gilbert ( 30) , Gensch 
(29), Lee and Krefting (36) , Kref¬ 
ting and Shields (35), and Krefting 
and Lee ( 34) . 
52 
