10.05.25: Quiet Song Sparrow

‍The Song Sparrow is one of the most common and most familiar North American sparrows. If you see a brown streaky bird fly by there’s a good chance it’s a Song Sparrow.

‍I have hundreds of photos of Song Sparrows in my files. My favorites are the photos showing the birds in full song, their heads thrown back and their beaks wide open.

‍This sparrow wasn’t in the mood for singing, but the photo is still one of my favorites of a Song Sparrow because of the composition.

‍I found this Song Sparrow perched in a mid-October field in a park north of Columbus, Ohio. I liked how the sparrow was framed by surrounding plant stems and how the bird’s brown streaks were complemented by the browns in the field. 

‍I usually prefer to a bit closer to a bird when I photograph it to show feather details, but I also like to get photos like this one that show how the bird interacts with its environment. The Song Sparrow serves as a focal point in a colorful, interesting scene.

‍In general, a Song Sparrow’s feathers are a rich brown and gray with a streaky brown and white chest, but this can vary among the more than 50 forms of Song Sparrows described by scientists. I’ve photographed a number of Song Sparrows with heads that are more brown and white — like this one — than brown and gray as described in the various field guides.

‍Song Sparrows are year-round residents in Ohio and can often be seen visiting feeders on snow-covered winter days.