Clay-colored Sparrow - Spizella pallida

Chipping Sparrow has a partial preformative molt, and limited prealternate molts that may include a mix of inner greater coverts, tertials, and central rectrices. Most individuals can be aged by a combination of molt limits and feather condition, but some intermediates may be difficult to assess by spring, and should be considered M-FCA (AHY). Sex is reliably determined only via brood patch / cloacal protuberance during the breeding season.

Juvenile plumage is very similar to that of Chipping Sparrow; exercise caution where ranges overlap. Clay-colored Sparrow tends to be smaller, with a proportionately longer tail, and has fainter streaking on the breast.

Quick tips

• Check the wing for molt limits - a contrast between darker/fresher greater coverts vs. the paler block of primary coverts, primaries, and secondaries is indicative of FCF (HY), and additional contrasts may appear among the greater coverts, tertials, and rectrices in FCA (SY) individuals, whereas the wing is more uniform in colour and wear on DCB/DCA (AHY/ASY) birds.
• Examine the shape and condition of the rectrices - they tend to be narrower and more pointed on FCF/FCA (HY/SY) birds, but may include contrastingly dark and fresh central rectrices on some FCA (SY) individuals, while DCB/DCA (AHY/ASY) birds have somewhat broader rectrices that typically show only moderate wear by spring.

Species account prepared by McGill Bird Observatory (2016). Last updated by Marcel Gahbauer (Mar 2022)