Savannah Sparrow

We are getting ready for our upcoming field work in New Brunswick with Dr.Mennill and Dr. Norris. A great adventure is awaiting ahead of us. We will be observing, recording and banding Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis)!

I am working on my bird aging skills using Pyle's book "Identification Guide to North American Birds". According to the shape of its retrices (tail) feathers and other features (primary coverts), this bird (see photo below) may be a SY (second year bird).

Savannah sparrows belong to the Emberizidae family. Emberizidae are seed-eating passerine birds with a distinctively finch-like bill. Check out the Cornell lab of Ornithology website to learn about Savannah sparrows' life history :

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/savannah_sparrow/lifehistory