Mystery bird: clay-colored sparrow, Spizella pallida | @GrrlScientist
This North American mystery bird often forms mixed species flocks with the two species it is most often mistaken for (includes videos!) Clay-colored sparrow, Spizella pallida (protonym, Emberiza pallida), Swainson, 1832, also known as the clay-colored chipping sparrow, photographed on the Katy Prairie Conservancy, Houston, Texas. Image: Joseph Kennedy, 3 January 2012 (with permission, for GrrlScientist/Guardian use only) [velociraptorise]. Nikon D200, 1/640s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400 Question: This North American mystery bird often forms mixed species flocks with the two species it is most often mistaken for. Which species are those? Can you identify this bird's taxonomic family and species?Response: This is an adult clay-colored sparrow, Spizella pallida, a small passerine that is placed into the taxonomic family, Emberizidae, or American sparrows. Clay-colored sparrows are migratory; wintering in Mexico and southern Texas (although I am told this species is unusual on the Katy Prairie) and breeding central Canada...
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