Re: [MDOsprey] sparrow ID help request (lincoln vs. swamp) + Birds around the
Bonnie Ott (bott@erols.com)
Thu, 07 Oct 1999 20:11:55 -0400
Robert Weiner wrote:
> In particular, since the bird sat facing me, I could
> clearly see that its breast streaks were faint and ill-defined, not really
> "streaky" like those shown in Rising's lincoln's plate. breast clear
> and buff-colored above and below the faintly-streaked area. The crest was
> raised, and the top stripe was clearly brown, rather than rusty red.
From my obervations of Swamp versus Lincolns- The swamp is a
"slate/pewter gray colored bird from the front. It can have faint to
very obvious breast streaks. Its breast shows pale to medium gray as
opposed to a lincolns buffy wash against white. The wings of swamp have
a beautiful coppery/rust color. The upper backside shows strong black
streaks. The sides of a swamp show what I call " perfectly toasted
marshmallow color"- not buff or cream- its a color unlike anything else.
I think Swamps top the list for variability. They have VERY distinct and
memorable call notes though. They will raise crests, flick wings and
raise tails up, not as often as Lincolns do. I find them in dry field
habitats but usually near water of some type. The often see them on the
ground, walking or feeding.
Bonnie