Went out specifically to photograph Song Sparrows in Sacramento Valley to document subspecies. This is a nice representative of the resident breeding subspecies of the Central Valley, M. melodia heermanni. Note the sepia straks on white flanks. The bird is more uniform with darker tones, heavier streaking on underparts and chest. Note the stark differences in plumage of this and following image. Both photos were taken in marsh habitat at the Valensin Unit of the Cosumnes River Preserve.
Tags: Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia Sparrow EMberizidae songbird Passerine California Cosumnes River Preserve Sacramento COunty
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Went out specifically to photograph Song Sparrows in Sacramento Valley to document subspecies. This bird is not of the resident M. m. heermanni found in the Sacramento region. Its coloration is paler gray with rufous streaking on pearl flanks and with rufous wing and tail being well defined. Note how gray the mantle is in this bird. I am not sure of the subspecies but it is a non-breeding subspecies either M.m. montana or M. m. merrilli. Merrilli breeds in eastern Washington north into British Columbia. It is an interior form that is migratory. Montana race breeds in Northern California, eastern Oregon and inland to the Rocky Mountain states. Both forms can occur in the Central Valley, but little is known about distribution or seasonality.
Tags: Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia Sparrow EMberizidae songbird Passerine California Cosumnes River Preserve Sacramento COunty
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Perched on Queen Anne's Lace, Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, California
Tags: California Yolo County Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia passerine songbird Emberizidae Sparrow
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Point Reyes National Seashore, , Marin County, California.
Tags: Point Reyes national seashore California Marin County Melospiza melodia Song Sparrow Emberizidae Sparrow
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Photos from Pt. St George, Crescent City, California. This may be the Mendocino Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia cleonensis, found along the California North Coastal belt (within 20 miles or so of the coast) from Mendocino into Central Oregon. It is a striking form in California being redder with contrasting gray than interior or San Francisco Bay forms
Tags: California Crescent City Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia Emberizidae Sparrow
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