Mike/Mark/All,
Great photo and discussion. While traditionally we would likely call this bird an immature Gambel's, the latest discussion suggests that identifying immature White-crowned Sparrows in the East is greatly complicated by possible intergrades. This is so much the case that the MD/DC Records Committee has suspended discussion of MD/DC Gambel's records pending additional research/literature. I say photograph them all, use validity wording (e.g., "presumed", "possible", "probable"), and we'll sort them out later. I do not consider it inappropriate to report this bird to eBird as a Gambel's, but what we will ultimately call these remains uncertain.
This page from Sibley Guides is the best summary of which I'm aware:
http://www.sibleyguides.com/bird-info/white-crowned-sparrow/
Good birding,
Bill
�
Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland
<bill_hubick...>
http://www.billhubick.com
http://www.marylandbiodiversity.com
>________________________________
> From: Michael Moore <mcmoore32...>
>To: <mdbirding...>
>Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2012 9:56 AM
>Subject: [MDBirding] Re: Interesting White-crowned Sparrow, Swan Harbor, Harford Co.
>
>Hi Mark,
>
>This is indeed a very nice photo of an immature Gambel's White-crowned Sparrow.� Eastern White-crowns have dark lores (as do the ones that breed in the Rocky Mountains), whereas those that breed in Alaska (Gambel's) or along the Pacific Coast (Puget Sound and Nutall's forms) have pale lores, like your bird.� The Pacific Coast forms are not known to wander much so the only pale-lored form even remotely likely here is Gambel's.� This ID is supported by the rusty and gray tones in the bird's back (Pacific Coast forms tend to be brown and beige) and the clear gray breast (Pacific Coast forms tend to be dingier breasted).�
>
>I am sure Gambel's is overlooked among flocks of Eastern White-crown's but I believe it is a rare but regular migrant in the mid-Atlantic.� Great find, especially to pick up that it was something different!
>
>Mike Moore
>Newark, DE
>
>
>On Tuesday, October 16, 2012 8:39:42 PM UTC-4, Mark Johnson 2 wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> �
>>
>> I just photographed (only one shot) a White-crowned
>> Sparrow that I'd like to get some opinions on, regarding age and subspecies.
>> It's a very dark looking bird-the head stripes are gray where an adult eastern's
>> would be white, and the back and tail are very dark, more gray leaning towards
>> black, rather than brown, like the several others that I saw keeping company
>> with this one. The dark head stripes are more dark brown than black, and
>> definitely not the bright reddish-brown of a first fall/winter juvenile bird.
>> Here's a link to the photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27381338@N03/8095453858/in/photostream�.
>> The photo's color and lighting are as taken, no tweaking at all, only cropped.
>> I'm not sure I'd recognize a Gambel's if I saw one, and any kind of intermediate
>> would throw me too, so I'm curious what others think about this guy.
>>
>>
>> �
>>
>> Mark Johnson2
>>
>> Aberdeen
>
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