Chipping Along

The happy trills of this native sparrow can be heard from coast to coast

BY KEN KEFFER

For prolific author Sneed B. Collard III, chipping sparrows hold a special place in his memory. When doing field research for his book Fire Birds, he accompanied Richard Hutto, currently an emeritus professor of biology and wildlife biology at the University of Montana, out bird-watching. “I clearly recall him pointing out the buzzy trill of the chipping sparrow,” Sneed says. Richard had pointed out that this species sounds like someone rapidly running a stick along a picket fence. “I’ve never forgotten that,” says Sneed, “and now I eagerly listen for the return of that picket fence sound each spring.” Distinct Features The most noticeable field mark for chipping sparrows is the chestnut brown cap on top of their heads, but the feature that helps really identify them from similar-looking species, such as field,…

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Birds & Blooms (Digital) - 1 Issue, August/September 2024

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