sparrow Archives - Season of Plenty

Birds of Reston, Virginia: Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) and White-Throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

January 7, 2018

white-throated sparrow in an evergreen bush in reston, virginia

A sparrow is a sparrow is a sparrow…. Or is it? I saw house sparrows on my walk today, but I also saw a song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) and white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis). Here’s how to tell the difference.

Bird of the Day: Chipping Sparrow

July 9, 2017July 8, 2017

I’m back to bird-watching in Wisconsin. We went on a walk this afternoon and saw this beautiful chipping sparrow on top of a pile of brush that someone had set out at the curb. The chipping sparrow is identified by its orange cap, white eyebrow, and black eye-stripe that begins near its beak, runs past the eye, and ends at … Read more