This small North American bird is often mistaken for the larger and bolder song sparrow
Lincoln's sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii (protonym, Fringilla Lincolnii), photographed at Quintana, Texas, USA.
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 5 April 2011 [velociraptorize].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/500s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400
Question: This North American mystery bird is often overlooked because it is shy and it closely resembles another North American species. Can you identify this species and the bird it is often mistaken for?
Response: This is an adult Lincoln's Sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii. This monomorphic species was originally dubbed "Tom's finch" by John James Audubon in honour of Thomas Lincoln, the man who collected the first representative of the species in a bog in Quebec whilst accompanying Audubon on his travels to Nova Scotia.
This small sparrow is very secretive but even when seen, it is often mistaken for the larger song sparrow, Melospiza melodia. Lincoln's sparrow can be distinguished from the song sparrow by its shorter and greyer tail, the finer streaks on its breast, its angular cream-and-brown cheek patch and its distinctive facial pattern (study both to compare for yourself).
You are invited to review all of the daily mystery birds by going to their dedicated graphic index page.
If you have bird images, video or mp3 files that you'd like to share with a large and (mostly) appreciative audience, feel free to email them to me for consideration.
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email: grrlscientist@gmail.com
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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/punctuated-equilibrium/2011/apr/27/3
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