My first guess is song sparrow, but white-throated sparrows are very common here and I wonder if it is a juvenile or female. Anyone?
Also, I saw a kinglet-sized bird yesterday that appeared to have very bold black and white stripes on its head. I could find nothing that looked like it. It’s possible it was a sparrow, too, but it was very small. Any ideas?
You have two different birds here. The top bird is an immature White-crowned Sparrow. The second two are White-throated Sparrows.
Thanks, Ryan. After I posted this, I could see the yellow spot on the bottom photograph. Any thoughts on the kinglet-sized bird with the black and white head?
Hmm. And it wasn’t a Golden-crowned Kinglet? Perhaps a Red-breasted Nuthatch? An adult White-crowned Sparrow would dwarf a kinglet. Other (wintering Missouri) species with black and white head patterns: White-throated Sparrow, Black-capped/Carolina Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch…probably one or two more I’m not thinking of off the top of my head.
Definitely not a nuthatch or chickadee. It’s a mystery, I guess! Thanks!