Sounds like a possible Dickcissel, from your description. Where are you
located?

Tom Love
Dept. Soc/Anth
Linfield College
McMinnville, OR 97128
tlove at linfield.edu

On Tue, 3 Sep 1996, Patrick Scott wrote:

>
> Heya Tweets,
>
> OUr feeder has become the grouping point of a flock of about 20-30
> sparrows, most of which sem to be House Sparrows. One individual, (isn't
> that always the case?) however, seems a little different.
>
> The bird is about the same size as a House Sparrow, and is rather
> robust. It's head resembles the female's more, although the yellow stripe
> is wider and there appears to be a separate thinner yellow "eyebrow" above
> it. The chest of the bird has black on it, as if a male's plumage had
> been scrambled somewhat with a dark concentration in the middle of the
> chest and swirls of black around it. The overall pattern resembles the
> same shape as a male House Sparrow's plumage, though. Does this
> description fit a young House Sparrow getting ready for his first winter?
> I hadn't seen it before while observing our House Sparrows in
> Pullman...maybe these Idaho birds have something different going on...:)
>
> I'd appreciate any insight.
>
> -Pat
>
>
>
>