Grassland Sparrows Quiz

Answers

A = Baird's

B = Savannah

C = Grasshopper

The birds in the photo were captured, banded, and released as part of a study on grassland sparrows, particularly Baird's. Our favorite references for identifying sparrows in the field are:

A Guide to the Identification and Natural History of the Sparrows of the United States and Canada
by James D. Rising and David D. Beadle, Academic Press
Covers all species and most subspecies.

Sparrows of the United States and Canada: The Photographic Guide
by David Beadle and James Rising , Academic Press
A good companion to the original Rising & Beadle guide.

A Field Guide to Advanced Birding (Peterson Field Guide Series)
by Kenn Kaufman, Houghton Mifflin Co.
Covers general sparrow ID techniques plus Cassin's/Botteri's and the Spizella species.

For more help overcoming "sparrow-phobia," SABO offers winter workshops on the basics of sparrow identification and natural history.