Sparrow ID El Paso county (pictures)

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Sep 8, 2015, 1:53:37 AM9/8/15

to Colorado Birds

I think this is a Savannah sparrow but I am not very sure. Seen near Drennan road by the airport

http://www.avoapples.com/birds/_MG_7041_cr.jpg

http://www.avoapples.com/birds/_MG_7053_cr.jpg

Please send me your comments.

Thanks

Bill

El Paso county, Colorado Springs

bill_...@msn.com

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Sep 8, 2015, 10:02:14 AM9/8/15

to Colorado Birds

Thanks to all for the comments explaining that this bird is a female lark bunting!

Bill

Joe Roller

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Sep 8, 2015, 10:56:36 AM9/8/15

to BILL KOSAR, Colorado Birds

This sparrow "look-alike" looks like a Lark Bunting.

The big white wing patch is a strong clue, and the bill is larger than most other sparrows.

Sibley has a cool list of birds that look like sparrows,

but are not. (page 492 of the first edition).

I have recently mis-identified 9 of the last 7 bird photos I looked at, so let's wait

for another opinion.

Joe Roller,

Denver

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DAVID A LEATHERMAN

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Sep 8, 2015, 11:45:48 AM9/8/15

to Joe Roller, COBIRDS

Nice photos, Bill, of a nice bird. Just to make it clear and save the sterling Denver Audubon Master Birder Class of 2015 going to the trouble of a mass response, Lark Buntings ARE, indeed, sparrows. At least I think so, unless the AOU just last night lumped them with Thick-billed Murre. Colorado is the only state to honor a sparrow with the status of "Official State Bird". My guess would be this is not because our legislature is particularly ornithologically enlightened but rather enamored of the printing cost-savings that might accrue from having a black and white mascot.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2015 08:56:33 -0600
Subject: Re: [cobirds] Re: Sparrow ID El Paso county (pictures)
From: jrol...@gmail.com
To: bill_...@msn.com
CC: cob...@googlegroups.com

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAJpZcUCSQX4PPu_W4nAu8Sv2S95XFXEJ%3DMznV7%3DS3hFPEJgeFQ%40mail.gmail.com.

Chris Rurik

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Sep 8, 2015, 5:11:10 PM9/8/15

to Colorado Birds, jrol...@gmail.com

Oh, hey, speaking of Lark Buntings, Denver Field Ornithologists has just debuted a beautiful new logo featuring original artwork of the bird. Visit www.dfobirds.org to check it out.

Lots of white on Bluff Lake today -- 27 Snowy Egrets and 26 AW Pelicans. Green-tailed Towhee, Empid, three Snipe, and two Rock Wren.