Rare Bird Report #: 99-B-07

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES:

Clay-colored Sparrow

HOW MANY:

1

REPORTER:

Spencer Walters
POBox 450
Garden Valley, ID 83622
208-631-4009

REPORTER EMAIL:

spencerw100@yahoo.com

OTHER OBSERVERS:

Spencer Walters-found it
Ralph Foote
Sheri Foote
Linda Yearsley

DATE REPORT PREPARED:

12/11/07

DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED:

12/10/07

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION:

Ralph and Sheri Foote's house in Garden Valley, Boise county, Idaho (don't know street address)

HABITAT:

backyard

CONDITIONS:

Observed briefly on 12/10 by myself. Sheri observed a couple more times throughout the afternoon. On 12/11 it was observed off and on all morning by Sheri, myself, Ralph and Linda. I observed from 9:45am to 11:00am. The weather was clear and cold(14 degrees F this morning) and there was no wind. Distance to the bird was approx. 15-18 feet and the sun was off to the left. Optics used were Swaravski 10x42 binocs and Nikon D80 camera for pictures. IBLE message #13821 has a link to the pictures taken.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?:

Yes, during the observation

DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?:

Yes, during the observation

WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?:

Sibley's Guide (I don't have it with me so don't have the publication year)

DESCRIPTION:

Starting at the head and working down:
Pinkish bill, buffy eyebrow with darker crown, dark and well defined "mustache" line. Clean, well defined gray nape with no streaking. Buffy breast with no markings of any kind. Brownish rump and Pinkish legs.

BEHAVIOR:

It was feeding on bird seed on the ground. No vocalizations that I heard. Didn't notice much of a flight pattern as it was only a couple feet from brush and trees so was gone quickly when flushed. It appeared to be slightly smaller and thinner than Dark-eyed Juncos and Song Sparrows that were around it. It would flush easily when Steller's Jays came in to feed and would stay away until they left. It didn't seem to associate with any of the juncos or other sparrows.

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU?

I positively identified the bird this morning when I was able to observe it while feeding. The clean gray nape, buffy breast and dark, sharp mustache line along with buffy eyebrow and brownish rump were what clinched it for me.

HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY?

Similar species would have been Brewer's Sparrow and Chipping Sparrow. Brewer's Sparrow was eliminated because of the sharp mustache line and face pattern, unstreaked nape, buffy breast and eyebrow line and white malar. Chipping Sparrow was eliminated because of the sharp mustache line, buffy breast, brown rump instead of the gray of a chipping sparrow.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES):

This is my first Clay-colored Sparrow sighting, but I have seen many Brewer's and Chipping Sparrows. Both similar species are fairly common in Garden Valley in the spring through fall.

GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE:

I have been birding for almost 6 years and am very familiar with the normal birds of southwest and central Idaho. I wouldn't say I'm an expert by any means, but I have seen seen and studied almost 450 species in the time I've been birding.

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?:

Ralph and Sheri Foote took these pictures of the Clay-colored Sparrow in Garden Valley, Boise County, Idaho on 12/11/07 at approximately 8:30AM and 10:30AM. The camera used was a nikon D80-lense unknown except that it was variable up to 500.