Field Sparrows at My Feeder

Field sparrow photo from National Park Service, Wikimedia Commons

At last week's North Texas Bird and Wildlife Club meeting we were talking about the birds we haven't seen this year (or have seen in fewer numbers), and I lamented that I hadn't had any field sparrows at my feeders so far. They tend to show up late in the winter, but I was getting a little worried.

Well, Thursday I saw my first and over the weekend had two at my feeders that cooperated with the Project Feederwatch count. Although field sparrows are one of the more drab species of sparrows, I like them because they are so delicate looking. They are smaller than the other feeder sparrows, and their pink legs and pale bill help identify them. Although some range maps show field sparrows as a year around resident of this area, I have only seen them in the winter. This is consistent with what the local North Texs Bird and Wildlife Club checklist shows: common from mid-December to early April and a few isolated sitings April - June.

I hope you are lucky enough to have some of these little guys show at your feeders this winter.

Good birding!