[EBB Sightings] Some Swamp Sparrow info

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Akira and others who might be interested,

[Hopefully, my first response to this with Akira's entire message=20
quoted won't be posted]

You can also find specific information about molt, sex, age, etc. in=20
Peter Pyle's, et al, "Identification Guide to North American Birds"=20
1997, available from Slate Creek Press in Bolinas. This is the North=20
American banders' "bible". It notes that there are 3 subspecies of=20
Swamp Sparrow with Melospiza georgiana ericrypta being the one that=20
winters in California. In the descriptions, it notes that in alternate=20=

(breeding) plumage, this ssp. has a medium-pale rufous crown, with=20
little or no black streaking by sex. Under the section describing=20
plumage differences by sex, it notes that the crown shows the only=20
plumage differences by sex; otherwise, banders need to look at breeding=20=

condition. Since they don't breed here and since M.g. ericrypta doesn't=20=

show the crown streaking difference, sexing Swamp Sparrows seen in=20
California may be pointless.

Another good reference is the Birds of North America collection of=20
monographs on all NA species. You should be able to find a set at a=20
library, a college library, or a bird-affiliated organizations (e.g.,=20
the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society has a set in their library).=20
Look for:

BNA No. 279
Mowbray, T. B. 1997. Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana). In The Birds=20=

of North America, No. 279 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of=20=

Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists=92=20=

Union, Washington, D.C.

Or, you can subscribe to the online set at Cornell's website ($40/yr)=20
and see the species account by Thomas B. Mowbray. (four of Russell=20
Greenberg's papers appear in its bibliography). One benefit of the=20
online version over the printed version is that you can see footage and=20=

listen to sound clips with the former.=20

Les
---
Les Chibana
BirdNUTZ(tm) - Ornigasmic Birding
Palo Alto Baylands Birding Classes
em 
web 
ph 650-949-4335
fx 650-949-4137
snailmail: SR2 Box 335, La Honda CA 94020

On Mar 4, 2005, at 10:54 AM, Akira So wrote:

> Stephen Long wrote:
> > ...
> > The bird is working hard on its molt into alternate plumage;
> > it still has a good deal of buff in the gray cheek patches,
> > and the crown hasn't yet attained its unstreaked reddish color,
> > but the scapulars are broadly tipped with white.  This was a
> > county bird for me.
> I have been a little confused about this Swamp Sparrow in Livermore,=20=

> in particular about its plumage, plumage differences between the sexes=20=

> (if any), and molting as it relates to it.
> Stephen's comments finally prompted me to do a very cursory "research"=20=

> on the web last night, and I came across the following two published=20=

> papers on Swamp Sparrow, both written by Russell Greenberg, that=20
> contain some interesting information on Swamp Sparrows, including=20
> answers to my own questions. I'd like to mention them here in case=20
> anyone else find them useful:

[snip - because of the messaging limit on this list]

> -Akira
> Pleasanton, CA
> (Alameda County)=

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Akira and others who might be interested,


[Hopefully, my first response to this with Akira's entire message
quoted won't be posted]


You can also find specific information about molt, sex, age, etc. in
Peter Pyle's, et al, "Identification Guide to North American Birds"
1997, available from Slate Creek Press in Bolinas. This is the North
American banders' "bible". It notes that there are 3 subspecies of
Swamp Sparrow with Melospiza georgiana ericrypta being the one that
winters in California. In the descriptions, it notes that in alternate
(breeding) plumage, this ssp. has a medium-pale rufous crown, with
little or no black streaking by sex. Under the section describing
plumage differences by sex, it notes that the crown shows the only
plumage differences by sex; otherwise, banders need to look at
breeding condition. Since they don't breed here and since M.g.
ericrypta doesn't show the crown streaking difference, sexing Swamp
Sparrows seen in California may be pointless.


Another good reference is the Birds of North America collection of
monographs on all NA species. You should be able to find a set at a
library, a college library, or a bird-affiliated organizations (e.g.,
the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society has a set in their library).
Look for:


=
ad-smaller>BNA
No. 279

Mowbray, T. B. 1997. Swamp Sparrow
(Melospiza
georgiana).
=
maller>
The Birds of North America, No. 279 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The
Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American
Ornithologists=92 Union, Washington, =
D.C.


Or, you can subscribe to the online set at Cornell's website ($40/yr)
and see the species account by Thomas B. Mowbray. (four of Russell
Greenberg's papers appear in its bibliography). One benefit of the
online version over the printed version is that you can see footage
and listen to sound clips with the former.



---

Les Chibana

BirdNUTZ(tm) - Ornigasmic Birding

Palo Alto Baylands Birding Classes

em <

web <

ph 650-949-4335

fx 650-949-4137

snailmail: SR2 Box 335, La Honda CA 94020


On Mar 4, 2005, at 10:54 AM, Akira So wrote:



> ...

> The bird is working hard on its molt into alternate plumage;

> it still has a good deal of buff in the gray cheek patches,

> and the crown hasn't yet attained its unstreaked reddish color,

> but the scapulars are broadly tipped with white.  This was a

> county bird for me.


I have been a little confused about this Swamp Sparrow in Livermore,
in particular about its plumage, plumage differences between the sexes
(if any), and molting as it relates to it.


Stephen's comments finally prompted me to do a very cursory "research"
on the web last night, and I came across the following two published
papers on Swamp Sparrow, both written by Russell Greenberg, that
contain some interesting information on Swamp Sparrows, including
answers to my own questions. I'd like to mention them here in case
anyone else find them useful:


[snip - because of the messaging limit on this list]



-Akira

Pleasanton, CA

(Alameda County)=

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