Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus
Montrose Point, Chicago, Illinois. April 2005.

Sole member of the Pooecetes genus, the Vesper Sparrow breeds throughout much of southern Canada south through the United States. It winters south to Mexico and the Gulf Coast states.

Of all the North American sparrows Vesper Sparrows will perhaps appear the most emberiza-like to European or Asian birders. At 6.25” (c 15cm) it is similar in size to eg an Ortolan Emberiza hortulana or a Reed Bunting E. schoeniclus, and like many Palearctic buntings has a prominent white eye-ring, streaked breast and flanks, and (unusually for a North American sparrow) white outer tail-feathers. The rufous lesser coverts in combination with the characters outlined above are diagnostic within North America, but they are not particularly easy to see in the field.

According to Sibley (”The North American Bird Guide” 2000), Vesper Sparrows are in fresh plumage from Sept-April and look worn and darker from May-August. The two birds found together at Montrose Point were markedly different - one being quite pale with prominent lesser coverts, the other being darker with harder to see lesser coverts. In the following photographs neither appear more “worn” than the other to my eyes. Sibley doesn’t mention any geographical or sexual variation, so why these two birds should be so different isn’t certain: any comments would of course be welcomed…

“Lighter” individual (above) and “Darker” individual (below).

 

“Lighter” individual.

 

“Darker” individual.

 

“Darker” individual.

 

“Darker” individual.

 

“Darker” individual.

 

“Darker” individual.

 

“Darker” individual.

All photographs © Charlie Moores