New World Sparrows are small brown seed-eating birds with conical bills. They include the sparrows, juncos, and towhees. The House Sparrow, despite having a similar name and appearance, is actually introduced from Europe and part of a different family more closely related to finches.
Lincoln’s Sparrow Jack W. Booth )
Swamp Sparrow – Similar to Lincoln’s Sparrow but with less chest streaking and more chestnut wings. Found in dense vegetation in wetlands. Uncommonly seen here. (photo © Ken Chamberlain )
Song Sparrow – Brown and gray with generally thick messy streaking. Long tail. Very common and adaptable, found in brushland, agriculture, and marshes. (photo © Jonathan Eisen )
Savannah Sparrow – Yellow eyebrow. Lines on head are less distinct. Chest is finely streaked. Short tail. Tend to perch on fences or tall vegetation in open areas. (photo © Patty Teague )
Spotted (Rufous-sided) Towhee – Much larger than other sparrows. Black head, back, and tail with white-spotted wings and rufous flanks. Ground-dwelling bird found near brush. (photo © Andy Bridges )
Other species seen extremely rarely in our county include the Black-throated Sparrow, the Lark Sparrow, and the Lapland Longspur
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Wild Columbia County 