Clay-colored Sparrow
(Spizella pallida)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
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| NatureServe | N4N5B, N4N - Apparently Secure to Secure Breeding, Apparently Secure Nonbreeding SNRB - Unranked Breeding |
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| Minnesota | not listed |
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Description |
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Size |
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5″ to 6″ in length 7½″ wingspan |
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Voice |
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The male song is a series of 2 to 5, usually 2 or 3, insect-like buzzes. |
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Similar Species |
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Habitat |
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Shrubby areas, thickets, woodland edges, prairie edges, and areas regenerating from fire |
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Ecology |
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Migration |
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Mid April to mid-October. In the fall they fly south in small groups to south Texas and Mexico. |
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Nesting |
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Food |
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Forages for seeds, plant buds, and insects on the ground and on low vegetation. |
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Distribution |
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Occurrence |
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Common migrant and breeder |
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Maps |
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The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map |
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Taxonomy |
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| Class | Aves (birds) | ||
Order |
Passeriformes (perching birds) | ||
Family |
Passerellidae (New World sparrows) | ||
Genus |
Spizella (chipping sparrows) | ||
New World sparrows were traditionally combined with buntings into the family Emberizidae. Recent phylogenetic analysis (Barker et al. 2013) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis (Klicka et al. 2014) found that the Old World buntings should be separated as a sister to New World sparrows. New World sparrows have been separated into a new family, Passerellidae. |
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Synonyms |
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Visitor Photos |
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Laurie Wachholz |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
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| Clay-colored Sparrow Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren |
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| Clay-colored Sparrow JMC Nature Photos |
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Visitor Videos |
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Other Videos |
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| Clay-Colored Sparrow preening and singing gschneiderphoto |
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About
Uploaded on Jul 1, 2009 A male clay-colored sparrow preens himself and sings. See more pictures at http://www.gschneiderphoto.com |
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| Clay-colored Sparrow Portrait eBirdr Channel |
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About
Published on Jun 3, 2012 The Clay-colored Sparrow was once fairly common in north central United States and western and central Canada. Now due to intensive agricultural practices it is on the decline. It is found in brushy open areas, prairies, streamside thickets. It has brown streaked upperparts with clear whitish underparts. The head shows a central pale crown stripe and a broad light eyebrow stripe. Also note the brown cheek patch and gray collar and brown rump. Similar winter Chipping Sparrow has a contrasting gray rump. Brewer's Sparrow has no central crown stripe. The distinctive song is unbird-llike with identical slow low-pitched buzzes. |
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| Clay-colored Sparrow (Emberizidae: Spizella pallida) Female Preening Carl Barrentine |
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About
Uploaded on Jul 6, 2009 Photographed at East Grand Forks, Minnesota (05 July 2009) |
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| Clay-colored Sparrow singing Stoil Ivanov |
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About
Published on Jun 1, 2013 Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) video taken on 5-30-2013 in Lakewood Forest Preserve Wauconda Illinois |
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| Clay-colored sparrows tavovalero |
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About
Published on Jun 18, 2015 Recorded at The South Padre Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary on 2015-04-20 Spizella pallida, Gorrión Pálido, chimbito pálido, gorrión indefinido rayado, gorrión pálido y arrocero pálido (Spanish) If you want to watch similar bird and other wildlife videos go to my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/tavovalero/videos |
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Visitor Sightings |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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Avon Hills Forest SNA, North Unit Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center Felton Prairie SNA, Bicentennial Unit John Peter Hoffman Spring Brook Valley WMA Mound Spring Prairie SNA, North Unit North Mississippi Regional Park Northern Tallgrass Prairie NWR, Pavia Unit Northern Tallgrass Prairie NWR, Rengstorf Unit Northern Tallgrass Prairie NWR, Touch the Sky Prairie Unit Prairie Creek WMA, Koester Prairie Unit Sand Prairie Wildlife Management and Environmental Education Area |
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