7 replies to this topic

[jluedtke]

Saw this sparrow in a field near my house last week in Milwaukee, WI. Can't tell if its a Song or a Lincoln Sparrow. Any thoughts?

[GreatHorn]

Looks like coarse streaking on a white background, not fine streaking on a buffy background, so I'll say Song Sparrow.

[Parula]

i agree song

[Indybirder]

Thirded

[jluedtke]

thank you all!

[Benjamin DeHaven]

I saw this thread and thought it was mine for a moment. I've done so many Lincoln's vs. Song lately. I think I'm finding its like many other types of birds, for example, a Hairy Woodpecker vs Downy Woodpecker. If you see a Downy, you often can convince yourself its a Hairy. When you see a Hairy there is no doubt about it. Every Lincoln's I posted for confirmation was actually a Song Sparrow. On the two birds I said "OMG, that looks so totally different", one was a Lincoln's and one was a Swamp.

[PoorMatty]

One big thing for me on Lincoln's vs. Song is the head stripes are a different color than the breast streaks on a Lincoln's. Lincoln's head stripes are quite reddish brown (with tiny black stippling inside), while the breast streaks are blackish. On a Song, though Song Sparrow coloration is quite variable, whatever color the head stripes are, the breast streaking will be very close to the same.

[cestma]

One big thing for me on Lincoln's vs. Song is the head stripes are a different color than the breast streaks on a Lincoln's. Lincoln's head stripes are quite reddish brown (with tiny black stippling inside), while the breast streaks are blackish. On a Song, though Song Sparrow coloration is quite variable, whatever color the head stripes are, the breast streaking will be very close to the same.

Thank you, I love to get tips like this!