ID TIPS: Savannah Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow, adult
June in Kidder County, North Dakota
WHEN I WAS learning to identify birds, I spent hours puzzling over sparrows that, in retrospect, were probably all of the same species. It was frustrating, but later I turned the experience into ID advice. If you see a compact, streaky sparrow in an open habitat, start by asking yourself: Is this a Savannah Sparrow?
Often, the answer will be: Yes. The Savannah Sparrow is one of the most widespread native sparrows in North America. Its breeding range extends from the shores of the Arctic Ocean in northern Alaska and Canada south to highlands of southern Mexico, with an isolated population in high mountains of Guatemala. In
