We started using our trap last week. Today I came home to 4 birds in it. One was a female Cardinal which I promptly released. 2 are definitely male House Sparrows which I left in there for my husband to dispatch later today. But the other bird is a mystery to me. I don't think it's a female House Sparrow...perhaps an immature or female White Crowned Sparrow? I've never seen one before but it definitely doesn't look like a House Sparrow to me. Am I correct? I want to get it out ASAP if it's 100% NOT a House Sparrow.
I am attempting to post the pictures but they aren't showing up!!
FINALLY I got them resized and uploaded... and the bird in question was released...I'd still like to know if I was correct in the ID though...
White Crowned Sparrow? ID help ASAP please...
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mechlingfamily
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu May 14, 2015 9:54 am
- Location: Royse City, TX
- Martin Colony History: 2015 ~1 pr 5 hatch-0 fledged
2016 ~ 1pr ~ 5 hatch&fledged
2017 ~ 1 pr ~ 4 hatch&fledged
2018 ~ 2 pr ~ 5 eggs each ~ 9 hatch&fledged
2019 ~ 2 pr~ 5 & 6 eggs ~ 10 fledged + 1 to Rogers Wildlife Rehabber/outcome unknown
2020 ~ 4 breeding pair ~ 24 eggs 6/6/6/5 +1 extra nest with 1 that never hatched ~ 23 hatched ~ 22 fledged
2021 ~ 23 breeding pair ~ 151 eggs laid ~ 106 hatched ~ 105 fledged
Housing:
2015 - 2018 Vintage inherited Coates Original 12 room aluminum housing modified with SREH and remodeled to 6 Suite Watersedge configuration. Added aluminum vented nesting trays.
2019 ~ added 2 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Tunnel Conley II entrance
2020 ~ converted entrances on gourds to SREH with new plates after Starlings still breached the Conley II entrances
2021 ~ old set up plus added Troyer Super gourds on 24 gourd super system w/ SREH plates added
2022 ~ unchanged from 2021
Trapping HOSP & shooting Starlings
PMCA members - 3rd generation PM Landlords
- Attachments
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- WhiteCrownedSparrow1 (480x640) (480x640).jpg (227.12 KiB) Viewed 5786 times
Last edited by mechlingfamily on Wed Feb 27, 2019 6:23 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Debbie & Warren ~ PMCA Members
2015 ~1 pair 5 hatched none fledged
2016 ~ 1pair ~ 5 hatched & fledged
2017 ~ 1 pair ~ 4 hatched & fledged
2018 ~ 2 breeding pair ~ 5 eggs each ~ 9 hatched & fledged
2019 ~ 2 breeding pair~ 5 & 6 eggs ~ 10 fledged + 1 to Rogers Wildlife Rehabber/outcome unknown
2020 ~ 4 breeding pair ~ 24 eggs 6/6/6/5 +1 extra nest with 1 egg that never hatched ~ 23 hatched ~ 22 fledged
2015 ~1 pair 5 hatched none fledged
2016 ~ 1pair ~ 5 hatched & fledged
2017 ~ 1 pair ~ 4 hatched & fledged
2018 ~ 2 breeding pair ~ 5 eggs each ~ 9 hatched & fledged
2019 ~ 2 breeding pair~ 5 & 6 eggs ~ 10 fledged + 1 to Rogers Wildlife Rehabber/outcome unknown
2020 ~ 4 breeding pair ~ 24 eggs 6/6/6/5 +1 extra nest with 1 egg that never hatched ~ 23 hatched ~ 22 fledged
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Dave Duit
- Posts: 2145
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
- Location: Iowa / Nevada
- Martin Colony History: In 2024, 82 pair with 350 fledged youngsters. 110 total cavities available, 82 Troyer Horizontal gourds and a homemade PVC / metal 28 compartment unit, 1 fallout shelter. Hawk and owl guards included. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit Iowa Purple Martin Organization on Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627283871068161 Emails send to [email protected]. Subject line include Iowa Purple Martin.
If in doubt, release it. They will die from stress if not released.
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mechlingfamily
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu May 14, 2015 9:54 am
- Location: Royse City, TX
- Martin Colony History: 2015 ~1 pr 5 hatch-0 fledged
2016 ~ 1pr ~ 5 hatch&fledged
2017 ~ 1 pr ~ 4 hatch&fledged
2018 ~ 2 pr ~ 5 eggs each ~ 9 hatch&fledged
2019 ~ 2 pr~ 5 & 6 eggs ~ 10 fledged + 1 to Rogers Wildlife Rehabber/outcome unknown
2020 ~ 4 breeding pair ~ 24 eggs 6/6/6/5 +1 extra nest with 1 that never hatched ~ 23 hatched ~ 22 fledged
2021 ~ 23 breeding pair ~ 151 eggs laid ~ 106 hatched ~ 105 fledged
Housing:
2015 - 2018 Vintage inherited Coates Original 12 room aluminum housing modified with SREH and remodeled to 6 Suite Watersedge configuration. Added aluminum vented nesting trays.
2019 ~ added 2 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Tunnel Conley II entrance
2020 ~ converted entrances on gourds to SREH with new plates after Starlings still breached the Conley II entrances
2021 ~ old set up plus added Troyer Super gourds on 24 gourd super system w/ SREH plates added
2022 ~ unchanged from 2021
Trapping HOSP & shooting Starlings
PMCA members - 3rd generation PM Landlords
Thank you Dave...I have released it.
Debbie & Warren ~ PMCA Members
2015 ~1 pair 5 hatched none fledged
2016 ~ 1pair ~ 5 hatched & fledged
2017 ~ 1 pair ~ 4 hatched & fledged
2018 ~ 2 breeding pair ~ 5 eggs each ~ 9 hatched & fledged
2019 ~ 2 breeding pair~ 5 & 6 eggs ~ 10 fledged + 1 to Rogers Wildlife Rehabber/outcome unknown
2020 ~ 4 breeding pair ~ 24 eggs 6/6/6/5 +1 extra nest with 1 egg that never hatched ~ 23 hatched ~ 22 fledged
2015 ~1 pair 5 hatched none fledged
2016 ~ 1pair ~ 5 hatched & fledged
2017 ~ 1 pair ~ 4 hatched & fledged
2018 ~ 2 breeding pair ~ 5 eggs each ~ 9 hatched & fledged
2019 ~ 2 breeding pair~ 5 & 6 eggs ~ 10 fledged + 1 to Rogers Wildlife Rehabber/outcome unknown
2020 ~ 4 breeding pair ~ 24 eggs 6/6/6/5 +1 extra nest with 1 egg that never hatched ~ 23 hatched ~ 22 fledged
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mechlingfamily
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu May 14, 2015 9:54 am
- Location: Royse City, TX
- Martin Colony History: 2015 ~1 pr 5 hatch-0 fledged
2016 ~ 1pr ~ 5 hatch&fledged
2017 ~ 1 pr ~ 4 hatch&fledged
2018 ~ 2 pr ~ 5 eggs each ~ 9 hatch&fledged
2019 ~ 2 pr~ 5 & 6 eggs ~ 10 fledged + 1 to Rogers Wildlife Rehabber/outcome unknown
2020 ~ 4 breeding pair ~ 24 eggs 6/6/6/5 +1 extra nest with 1 that never hatched ~ 23 hatched ~ 22 fledged
2021 ~ 23 breeding pair ~ 151 eggs laid ~ 106 hatched ~ 105 fledged
Housing:
2015 - 2018 Vintage inherited Coates Original 12 room aluminum housing modified with SREH and remodeled to 6 Suite Watersedge configuration. Added aluminum vented nesting trays.
2019 ~ added 2 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Tunnel Conley II entrance
2020 ~ converted entrances on gourds to SREH with new plates after Starlings still breached the Conley II entrances
2021 ~ old set up plus added Troyer Super gourds on 24 gourd super system w/ SREH plates added
2022 ~ unchanged from 2021
Trapping HOSP & shooting Starlings
PMCA members - 3rd generation PM Landlords
What I was comparing my photo to...
- Attachments
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- WhiteCrownedSparrowID (480x640) (480x640).jpg (176.83 KiB) Viewed 5784 times
Debbie & Warren ~ PMCA Members
2015 ~1 pair 5 hatched none fledged
2016 ~ 1pair ~ 5 hatched & fledged
2017 ~ 1 pair ~ 4 hatched & fledged
2018 ~ 2 breeding pair ~ 5 eggs each ~ 9 hatched & fledged
2019 ~ 2 breeding pair~ 5 & 6 eggs ~ 10 fledged + 1 to Rogers Wildlife Rehabber/outcome unknown
2020 ~ 4 breeding pair ~ 24 eggs 6/6/6/5 +1 extra nest with 1 egg that never hatched ~ 23 hatched ~ 22 fledged
2015 ~1 pair 5 hatched none fledged
2016 ~ 1pair ~ 5 hatched & fledged
2017 ~ 1 pair ~ 4 hatched & fledged
2018 ~ 2 breeding pair ~ 5 eggs each ~ 9 hatched & fledged
2019 ~ 2 breeding pair~ 5 & 6 eggs ~ 10 fledged + 1 to Rogers Wildlife Rehabber/outcome unknown
2020 ~ 4 breeding pair ~ 24 eggs 6/6/6/5 +1 extra nest with 1 egg that never hatched ~ 23 hatched ~ 22 fledged
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
You are right - you had a white-crowned sparrow there, not in adult plumage yet. Good job on your part, you released it quickly and have confirmed ID, too.
I'll suggest that is not a immature white crown sparrow. The mandibles of the two birds are different and as they are classified in separate families (House sparrows are weaver finches). Highly unlikely to have an immature white crown this time of year in Texas
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Jim, Texas is loaded with white-crowned sparrows in the winter months, and there will still be some here in April. They are one of the native sparrows most frequently seen at our feeders in winter months. We have a good mix of both adult plumage and immature plumaged birds.
3 other sparrows with similar markings are: Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, and Tree Sparrow. It is not a House Sparrow, so glad you turned it loose. We do feeder watch for Cornell university and have found it difficult to ID the different sparrows. My suggestion would be if there is any doubt about if it is a House Sparrow in your trap let it go.
Lewis
Lewis
Spring Garden Keeper