Double-Crested Cormorant

     Today's featured feathered friend is the Double-Crested Cormorant.  Of the 30 Cormorant species worldwide, six can be found in North America.  Of these, the Double-Crested Cormorant is by far the most abundant and widespread.  This large heavy-bodied bird can be found all across North America.  There are five subspecies of the Double-Crested Cormorant.  Sizes can vary within the subspecies but generally they are 27 to 35 inches in length, weighing between 2.5 to 5.5 pounds, with a wingspan of up to 48 inches.  Cormorants in Alaska are the largest, those in Florida are the smallest.  

     The Double-Crested Cormorant has a stocky body, long neck, medium-sized tail, webbed feet and a medium-sized hooked bill.  They are black with yellow or orange facial skin.  Adult males and females are similar in appearance.  Juveniles are dark gray or brown, with a pale upper breast and dark belly.  In breeding plumage a "double-crest" is visible on the crown, hence their common name.  These crests are white in Cormorants from Alaska, and black in other regions.
     The diet of the Double-Crested Cormorant is almost exclusively fish.  It dives under water to find it's prey and can stay submerged for over a minute.  After diving, it stands with outstretched wings, allowing them to dry.  They have less preen oil than other birds, so their feathers can get soaked rather than shedding water like a duck's.  Enjoy these photos of the Double-Crested Cormorant.....tweet.....tweet!!   



Double-Crested Cormorant drying it's wings.
(Taken 2/2/12, Venice FL) 

 

Double-Crested Cormorants fishing.
(Taken 2/2/12, Venice FL)

 http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Double-crested_Cormorant/id

Common Grackle

     Today's featured bird is the Common Grackle.  A year round Florida resident, they are one of the nine bird species that visit our backyard daily.  Three species of Grackles can be found in North America; the Common, the Boat-Tailed and the Great-Tailed.  The Common Grackle is the smallest and most widespread of the three.  

     At first glance the Common Grackle is a plain black bird with a yellow eye.  However, in reality they display an assortment of iridescent colors.  Both sexes have a bluish hood (head).  Males have either bronze or multi-colored bodies and wings.  Females have blackish-brown bodies and wings with little iridescence.  Juveniles are dark brown overall with a dark eye and lack iridescence.  Males are slightly larger than females.   

     Common Grackles are considered pests by farmers.  They form large flocks causing extreme crop damage, making them the target of eradication campaigns.  Even so, their numbers remain strong and they have extended their range westward, following the spread of agriculture.  Despite their unpopularity, check out the spectacular colors of the Common Grackle in these photos.....tweet.....tweet!!  

Common Grackle
(All photos taken 10/24/12, Our Backyard)

     

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Grackle/id

Yellow-Throated Warbler

     Today's featured feathered friend is the Yellow-Throated Warbler.  Twice this week we've had a visit from a  Yellow-Throated Warbler.  We've spotted them before on outings, but never in our own backyard.  Their preferred habitat is swamp and pine forests.  Our backyard doesn't fit this description at all, so to choose our yard to stop by for a drink and a quick bath is such a blessing.

     The Yellow-Throated Warbler is a medium sized warbler measuring 5 1/4 inches.  The sexes are very similar, both have a bright yellow throat and upper breast with a bold black triangular face patch.  Their flanks are heavily black-streaked.  They have a white eyebrow, white neck, black forehead, gray crown and two white wingbars.  Females have less black on the forehead and finer flank streaking.  

     Yellow-Throated Warblers can be found over most of the eastern U.S. except in New England and New York.  Northern birds migrate south for the winter.  In Florida, they can be found year round.  Enjoy these photos of the colorful and beautiful Yellow-Throated Warbler.....tweet.....tweet!!



Yellow-Throated Warbler
(Taken 9/19/12, Englewood FL)



Yellow-Throated Warbler
(Taken 10/23/12, Our Backyard)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-throated_Warbler/id

Sandhill Crane

     Today's featured feathered friend is the Sandhill Crane.  This morning while putting out the feeders, a pair of Sandhills were foraging in our front yard.  Eventually they "walked" away, right down the middle of the street.  This pair (and maybe others) can be seen daily roaming around the neighborhood.  Their "trumpeting" call can be heard from very far away.

     Sandhill Cranes are large birds with long necks and legs.  They are pale gray, sometimes with a reddish wash.  They have a red crown with white cheeks and a thick tuft of feathers over the rump.  Males and females are similar in appearance.  In breeding pairs, males are noticeably larger than females.  Juveniles are cinnamon brown, changing to gray as they mature.

     Of the fifteen crane species in the world, only three can be found in North American.  The Sandhill, the Common Crane and the endangered Whooping Crane.  The Sandhill is by far the most abundant and the smallest of the three.  There are six subspecies of Sandhill Cranes, some of which are threatened or endangered.  Sizes can vary within the subspecies but generally, Sandhills are 41 to 48 inches in length, weighing 7 to 11 pounds, with a wingspan of up to 6 1/2 feet.   

     Check out either of the links provided below for much more information on this fascinating bird.  Enjoy the photos of the graceful and elegant Sandhill Crane.....tweet.....tweet!!   



Sandhill Cranes
(Family out foraging for food)
(Taken 3/2/12, Englewood FL)



 Trumpeting
(Taken 10/1/11, Wesley Chapel FL)



Close-Up
(Taken 8/23/12, Englewood FL)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sandhill_Crane/id

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandhill_Crane#Subspecies_and_evolution

Northern Flicker

     Our featured feathered friend today is the Northern Flicker.  The second largest woodpecker behind the Pileated, they can be found all across North America.  Flickers are the only woodpeckers that frequently feed on the ground.  Although they eat fruits, berries, seeds and nuts, insects are their main food source.  Ants alone can make up half of their diet.  Northern Flickers are brownish overall with a white rump patch.  Their backs are pale brown with thin black barring.  They have a crescent-shaped black bib on the breast with bold black spots on the belly.  There are other markings depending on which group they belong to.

          **  The Red-Shafted Flicker resides in western North America.  This group has red under the wings and tail.  They have a beige cap (top of the head) with a grey nape (back of the head).  Males have a red moustachial stripe.

          **  The Yellow-Shafted Flicker resides in eastern North America.  This group has yellow under the wings and tail.  They have a grey cap with a red patch on their nape.  Males have a black moustachial stripe.  Known as the "Yellowhammer", the Northern Flicker from this group is the state bird of Alabama.

      Females lack a moustachial stripe however, juvenile males from either group have an orange mustache.

     Flickers visit our backyard occasionally, usually just to get a drink.  Sometimes we'll see them tucked into the shrubbery eating berries.  A beautiful bird, enjoy these photos of the Northern Flicker.....tweet.....tweet!! 

Northern Flicker (Male)
(Taken 1/4/11, Our Backyard)



Northern Flicker (Female)
(Taken 5/20/12, Our Backyard)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Flicker/id

Zebra Longwing and the Question Mark Butterflies

     On Saturday the 13th, we visited Lettuce Lake Regional Park in Tampa.  The park features a 3500 foot boardwalk with an observation tower overlooking the water.  A huge crowd of people were out enjoying a warm, sunny October day.  Along the boardwalk we spotted White Ibises, a Little Blue Heron, a Tricolored Heron and a Belted Kingfisher.  In the canopy we saw Cardinals, Downy and Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, a White-Eyed Vireo, a Black-and-White Warbler and several Tufted Titmice.  We also spotted two butterflies, today's featured fliers.

     The Zebra Longwing is a black butterfly with yellowish-white stripes on elongated wings.  It's wingspan is 3 to 3 1/2 inches.  In 1996, the Zebra Longwing officially became the state butterfly of Florida.  In the U.S., they can be found in the southeast, from Virginia to Florida.  They feed on nectar and pollen.  They are the only butterflies known to eat pollen, which is probably why they have a long lifespan.  They can live from three to six months, compared to one month for other butterfly species.

     The Question Mark is an orange butterfly with dark markings, irregular wing edges and a brownish underside.  This ventral (wings closed) coloration helps it resemble a dead leaf when resting.  It's wingspan is 2 1/4 to 3 inches.  A silver mark on the ventral hindwing is broken into two parts, a curved line and a dot, creating a ?-shaped mark that gives the species its common name.  They feed on rotting fruit, tree sap, dung or carrion.  Only when these sources are unavailable do Question Marks visit flowers for nectar.  In winter months the Question Mark is more orange, and less dark.  They can be found in southern Canada, from the eastern edge of the Rockies south to Arizona and into Mexico, and the entire eastern U.S.

     You never know what you'll see while you're out birding.....tweet.....tweet!!

Zebra Longwing Butterfly
(Taken 10/12/12, Tampa FL)



Question Mark Butterfly

(Taken 10/12/12, Tampa FL)

Carolina Chickadee

     We took a few days off to visit family in the Tampa area.  While away, we were able to visit a few birding spots.  On Friday the 12th we drove into Citrus county and spent a few hours in Inverness.  Cooter's Pond Park has a fantastic boardwalk system that let's you get a "birds-eye" view of wetland wildlife.  We saw many Common Gallinules with their babies.  It's interesting to see them walk on the tops of Lilly pads.  There were lots of turtles out of the water getting some sun, many butterflies and dragonflies, and of course several gators.  In the trees and underbrush, we saw Carolina Wrens, Mockingbirds, Catbirds and an Eastern Phoebe.

     Later in the day, we drove north and visited the Withlacoochee State Forest.  The third largest state forest in Florida, it contains several Great Florida Birding Trail sites.  We stopped at the northern most site, the Two Mile Prairie Tract: Johnson Pond Trail.  It's way off the beaten path.  We chose this site specifically, because our guide book listed the possibility of at least ten different birds we had never seen before.  We walked a mile only to discover that Johnson's Pond is dried up.  We saw none of the birds we had hoped to see.  It seems that the information in our guide regarding this site is badly outdated.  However, not all was lost.  Walking the mile back to the car, we did manage to spot a Carolina Chickadee.  A new "life list" bird for us.  Not the best photo, but we worked hard to get this shot of the Carolina Chickadee.  Better birding days ahead.....tweet....tweet!!   



Carolina Chickadee
(Taken 10/12/12, Citrus Co. FL)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/carolina_chickadee/id



House Finch

     Our featured feathered friend of the day is the House Finch.  Along with our regular birds today, a female House Finch was in the backyard most of afternoon.  The House Finch is a year round Florida resident, but we've only seen them in our yard a few times.

     House Finches are six inches long and weigh about 3/4 of an ounce.  They have small heads and short, conical bills.  Both sexes have a brownish back, tail and wings, with two white wing bars, and a white belly heavily streaked with brown.  Males have a reddish head, breast and rump.  Males can also display orange or yellow colors, varying in intensity and derived from the berries and fruits in their diet.  As a result, their colors range from pale yellow to bright orange (both rare) to deep, intense red.  Studies have shown that during mating season females prefer males with the brightest and reddist color.

     The House Finch is the most widely distributed songbird in North America and is a common backyard feeder.  It was once found only in the western U.S. and Mexico.  They were being sold illegally in New York City as "Hollywood Finches".  To avoid prosecution under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, vendors and owners released the birds in the 1940s.  The population quickly became established in the east and now the total North American population is estimated to be as high as 1.4 billion birds.  Enjoy these photos of the House Finch.....tweet.....tweet!!



House Finch (Male)
(Yellow and Red Plumage)
(Taken 11/18/11, Our Backyard)

House Finch (Female)
(Taken 10/10/12, Our Backyard)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_Finch/id

White-Eyed Vireo

     Our featured feathered friend of the day is the White-Eyed Vireo.  This morning we were able to get a few nice photos of one before it flew away.  We've only seen them in the backyard a few times, but we hear their "explosive" song quite often, especially during the winter.

     White-Eyed Vireos are a small and secretive bird of the eastern and southern United States.  Populations along the Gulf Coast and further south are year round residents.  Most North American birds migrate south, wintering in Mexico, northern Central America and the Caribbean.

     The White-Eyed Vireo is about five inches long.  It is grayish-olive above, white below with yellow flanks and two white wing bars on each wing.  The eyes have white irises that are surrounded by yellow "spectacles".  Males and females are similar in appearance.  Juveniles are similar to adults, but are duller overall with a black eye.  Enjoy today's photos of the White-Eyed Vireo.....tweet.....tweet!!



White-Eyed Vireo
(Taken 10/8/12, Our Backyard)



White-Eyed Vireo
(Taken 2/24/12, Our Backyard)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wite-eyed_Vireo/id

The Royal Family of Butterflies

     Today at the Cedar Point Environmental Center here in Englewood, we finally spotted the Queen butterfly.  Our "Royal Family" of orange butterflies is now complete.  We had previously seen the Viceroy and the Monarch.  They are all butterflies in the Nymphalidae family, which contains over 6000 species.  Their larvae feed on plants in the Milkweed family.  Together, the Queen, Viceroy and Monarch form a mimicry complex (meaning, they're alike in many ways), in which all three species are highly distasteful or toxic to predators. 

     Enjoy this spectacular collection of Englewood's Royal Family of Orange Butterflies; the Queen, the Viceroy and the Monarch. 

     The Queen (Danaus gilippus) is closely related to the Monarch.  Adults have a slow, soaring flight and they are fond of flowers.  A frequent garden visitor, it typically rests and feeds with its wings closed.  It is orange or brown with black wing borders and small white forewing spots on its dorsal wing surface.  The ventral hindwings have black veins and small white spots in a black border.  The male has a black scent patch on its dorsal hindwings.  It's wing span is 2 3/4 to 3 1/4 inches.

Queen Butterfly (Male)
(Taken 10/8/12, Englewood FL)

     The Viceroy (Limenitis archippus) can be distinguished from the Monarch by its smaller size and the post median black line that runs across the veins on the hindwing.  The Viceroy is orange to mahogany with black markings, veins and  broad wing borders.  The borders contain central rows  of small white spots.  In Florida, Viceroys share the pattern of the Queen.  It's wingspan is 2 1/2 to 3 1/4 inches. The Viceroy is the state butterfly of Kentucky. 

Viceroy Butterfly
(Taken 8/17/12, Englewood FL)

     The Monarch (Danaus plexippus) is undoubtedly the best known of all North American butterflies.  It's annual fall mass migration is one of the greatest natural events undertaken by any organism on earth.  Adults have a strong, soaring flight.  Monarchs are orange with black veins and wing borders.  The black borders have two rows of small white spots.  Males are slightly larger than females.  Female Monarchs have darker veins on their wings.  Males have a small black scent patch in the center of each hindwing.  It's wing span is 3 1/2 to 4 four inches.  The Monarch is the state butterfly of Alabama, Idaho, Illinois, Minnesota, Texas, Vermont and West Virginia.     

Monarch Butterfly (Male)
(Taken 11/9/11, Englewood FL)

Blue Jay

     Our featured feathered friend today is the Blue Jay.  A year-round Florida resident, the Blue Jay is one of nine species that visit our backyard almost daily.  The Blue Jay is a large songbird with a perky crest.  It's plumage is various shades of blue, with black and white above, and with white or light gray underparts.  Both sexes are similar in appearance.  Juveniles are more grayish above with limited white markings on the wings.
       They have a variety of noisy calls.  They can mimic the call of a Red-Shouldered Hawk, sometimes used to deceive other birds into believing that a Hawk is present.

     It's diet is composed mostly of insects and nuts.  They are particularly fond of acorns.  In our backyard, it's all about peanuts.  They stuff food items in a throat pouch to cache elsewhere.  When eating, it will hold a seed or nut between it's feet to peck it open.  They are known to be nest raiders, taking and eating eggs and nestlings of other birds.  At feeders in Florida, Red-Headed Woodpeckers, Florida Scrub-Jays, Common Grackles, and Gray Squirrels strongly dominate Blue Jays, often preventing them from obtaining food.  We've witnessed this on many occasions.

     Native to North America, the Blue Jay can be found throughout most of the eastern and central U.S. and southern Canada.  Most Jays are present throughout the winter in all parts of their range however, western populations may be migratory.  Enjoy today's photos of the Blue Jay.....tweet.....tweet!!

Blue Jay
(Taken 2/25/12, Our Backyard)

Blue Jay (Juvenile)
(Taken 7/31/11, Our Backyard)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue_Jay/id

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher

     This afternoon, we visited Shamrock Park in Venice.  A great location to get fabulous photos of Florida Scrub-Jays.  They were more than happy to pose for us today.  Along the trails we spotted Downy and Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, Blue Jays, Northern Mockingbirds, Mourning Doves, Common Ground-Doves and Palm Warblers.  We also saw the tiny Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, our featured feathered friend of the day.

     The Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher is a very small bird.  It measures only 4 1/2 inches in length and weighs a "hefty" quarter of an ounce.  They have blue-gray upperparts with white underparts,  a long slender bill, a long white-edged black tail and a bold white eye ring.  Females are a duller gray than males.  In breeding plumage the male has a black forehead and a black line over his eyes.  These are very active birds, constantly flitting around, which makes them extremely difficult to photograph.  More often than not, we're alerted to their presence by their call, a quiet but emphatic high-pitched buzz.       

     The Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher can be found all across the eastern half of the country.  In the west, it can be found in parts of California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas.  Here in Florida, they're year-round residents.  The Blue-Gray is the only truly migrating gnatcatcher.   They migrate to the southern U.S., Mexico, northern Central America and the Caribbean.  Enjoy today's photos of the Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher.....tweet.....tweet!!

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
(Taken 2/21/12, Our Backyard)

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
(Taken 1/25/12, Our Backyard)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue-gray_Gnatcatcher/id

Gray Catbird

     We've been anxiously awaiting their return, and the Gray Catbirds have finally arrived.  Named for their cat-like "mew" call, the Gray Catbird is slate gray with a thin black crown, a blackish tail and a reddish rump.  No other North American bird has a uniform dark gray plumage.  Males and females are similar in appearance.  

     Gray Catbirds are of the "Mimidae" family, which includes Mockingbirds and Thrashers.  They mimic the songs of other birds, tree frogs and even mechanical sounds.  The Gray Catbird's song is easily distinguished from their cousins, the Mockingbird and the Thrasher.  The Mockingbird repeats its phrases 3 to 4 times, the Thrasher usually twice, but the Catbird sings most phrases only once.  In contrast to most songbirds who choose to sing from a prominent perch, the Catbird usually sings under cover and out of sight. 

     Gray Catbirds can be found throughout North America east of the Rocky Mountains.  Unlike their cousins the Mockingbird and the Thrasher, Gray Catbirds are migratory birds.  They spend the winter season in the southern U.S., Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.  We welcome back the Gray Catbird for the winter, enjoy today's photos.....tweet.....tweet!!

  

Gray Catbird
(Taken 1/24/12, Our Backyard)

 

Gray Catbird
(Taken 1/15/11, Our Backyard)

     

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Gray_Catbird/id

Roseate Spoonbill

     We visited Indian Mound Park early this afternoon.  Situated on Lemon Bay here in Englewood,  it's a featured stop on the Great Florida Birding Trail.  We visit here several times a month to see wading birds and dolphins.  It was low tide, so we saw lots of shorebirds.  There were Great Blue Herons, Little Blue Herons, Cormorants, Pelicans and White Ibises.  We saw some Laughing Gulls foraging with "peeps".  Peeps is a birder term used to describe any number of small shorebirds that forage in mixed flocks.  There were Willets, Least Sandpipers, Black-Bellied Plovers and Sanderlings.  However, the bird that caught our attention today was a beautiful Roseate Spoonbill.  They're called Spoonbills because of their color and their long, flat, spoon-shaped bill.  

     The Roseate Spoonbill and the American Flamingo are pink birds, the similarity ends there.  The Roseate Spoonbill is much smaller and more abundant than the Flamingo.  Scientists believe that the pink coloration is due to their diet of carotenoid-rich organisms like shrimp.  Roseate Spoonbills are resident breeders in South America and in coastal regions of the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico and the Gulf Coast of the U.S.

     Males and females are similar in appearance.  Adults have a bald head, a red eye, and are pink with crimson markings on the their wings.  They have a white neck, back and breast.  Second year Spoonbills are like adults, but they are half bald with little or no crimson on their wings.  Immature birds (first year) have feathered white heads, white necks and bodies, with a pale pink wash over their wings and bellies.  Based on our field guide we believe today's Spoonbill to be a first year bird.  Enjoy these photos of the stunning Roseate Spoonbill.....tweet.....tweet!! 

Roseate Spoonbill
(Taken 10/4/12, Englewood FL)

Roseate Spoonbill
(Taken 10/4/12, Englewood FL)

 

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Roseate_Spoonbill/id

http://floridabirdingtrail.com/index.php/trip/trail/Indian_Mound_Park/

White Ibis

     This evening at dusk, we witnessed a flyover by two groups of 15-20 White Ibises.  This is a nightly occurrence over our backyard.  We've also seen evening flyovers by Wood Storks and Great Egrets.

    The White Ibis is most common in Florida.  They can also be found throughout the Caribbean, on both coasts of Mexico and Central America, and as far south as Columbia and Venezuela. The non-breeding range extends further inland, reaching north to Virginia and west to eastern Texas.

     The White Ibis is a medium-sized wading bird with white plumage, a red-orange down-curved bill and long red-orange legs.  Their black wing tips are usually only visible in flight.  During breeding, their bills and legs become bright red.  Males and females are similar in appearance except, males are larger and have longer bills.  Juveniles appear brown and only the rump, underwing and underparts are white.  They attain their adult plumage, size, and weight by the end of their second year.  Enjoy these photos of the White Ibis.....tweet.....tweet!!



White Ibis
(Taken 5/4/12, Englewood FL)

White Ibis (Immature)
(Taken 7/10/12, Gasparilla Island FL)

  

White Ibis
(Breeding Plumage)
(Taken 6/23/11, Gasparilla Island FL)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White_Ibis/id

Muscovy Ducks

     We traveled south to Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda this afternoon.  We passed by many ponds and saw lots of wading birds.  We saw Great Blues, Little Blues and Tricolored Herons  We saw a juvenile Black-Crowned Night Heron.  We also saw many Great Egrets, Cattle Egrets and Snowy Egrets.  We saw lots of White Ibis and Mottled Ducks.  Today, our featured feathered friend is the Muscovy Duck.  We saw a hen (female) with 14 chicks in Port Charlotte, and a hen with 8 chicks in Punta Gorda.

     Wild Muscovy Ducks are native to Mexico, Central and South America, but in the U.S., they can only be found in the southern tip of Texas.  Feral or domestic Muscovies can be found all across America.  They are abundant in Florida, particularly in residential parks.  Domestic Muscovies can transmit disease to wild waterfowl and they are prolific breeders.  If unchecked, local populations can increase dramatically in a short time.  They are considered pests or nuisances in many areas.   

    Muscovies are large ducks, with the males weighing up to 15 pounds. Females are considerably smaller, less than half the males' size.  They are predominantly black and white, with the back feathers being iridescent and glossy in males, while the females are more drab. The amount of white on the neck and head is variable.  Their bill can be yellow, pink, black, or any mixture of these.  They may have white patches or bars on the wings, which become more noticeable during flight.  Both sexes have pink or red wattles around the bill, those of the male being larger and more brightly colored.  Despite all the negative publicity they generate here in Florida, the chicks are so cute, so enjoy these photos taken on today's outing.....tweet.....tweet.

Muscovy Ducks
(Mom with 14 chicks)
(Taken 10/2/12, Port Charlotte FL)



Muscovy Ducks
(Mom with 8 chicks, one hidden)
(Taken 10/2/12, Punta Gorda FL)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscovy_Duck

    

House Sparrow

     Welcome to October!  The temperatures will be dropping soon, which will make our outings much more pleasant.  This morning our regular visitors were in the backyard.  We also had a visit from several House Sparrows.  

     House Sparrows are European natives.  Their intentional or accidental introductions to Australia, Africa and the Americas, make it the most widely distributed wild bird on earth.  The first of many successful introductions to North America occurred when birds from England were released in New York City in 1852.  They are "old world" sparrows and are not at all related to North American Sparrows.  

     The male House Sparrow has a black bill, a black "bib" on his throat and a gray crown.  His back and wings are streaked with rich browns.  The female has a brown crown with a buffy eyebrow, a thin dark eyeline and a pale bill.  Her wings and back are similar to the male but, more subdued.  Enjoy today's photos of the House Sparrow.....tweet.....tweet!!

House Sparrow (Male)
(Taken 1/10/12, Our Backyard)

 

House Sparrow (Female)
(Taken 12/15/11, Our Backyard)

           http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_Sparrow/id