Cassin's Sparrow

Aimophila cassinii

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

15 cm (6") Fairly common. Southwestern United States. Dry grasslands, shrubs, cactus, mesquite.

Streaked gray-brown upperparts. Unstreaked underparts. Long rounded dark gray-brown tail with white tips (seen best in flight).

Secretive. Told best from similar Botteri's Sparrow, where their ranges overlap in southeastern Arizona, by song which unlike Botteri's is often given in flight.

Song: musical trill sandwiched between 2-3 lower introductory notes and 2 lower ending notes.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

9 photos

Credit: Aaron Maizlish

Credit: Tim

Del Mar Heights, Texas, US - April 8, 2009

Credit: sfitzgerald

Weld County, Colorado, US - July 6, 2011

Credit: Jason Forbes

Loma Alta, Cameron Co., TX, USA - November 2011

Credit: Bill Bouton

Credit: Dominic Sherony

In flight "skylarking" - Sandhills Gamelands, Scotland Co, NC 1st NC record, found by Gil Miller April 25, 2011

Credit: Nate Swick

Old Port Isabel Rd, Cameron Co, TX - April 27, 2011

Credit: Bill Keim

In flight near Agate, Elbert Co., CO - June 8, 2011

Credit: Tony Leukering

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video

Cassin's Sparrow near Haysville, KS

Credit: birdingjeff

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 1 rule

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Cassin's Sparrow

1 rule

Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 4

What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Medium · Long · Very Long · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Rounded at the end · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: Light outer edge or corners · None · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Sparrow-like
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Desert, arid grassland, shrubs, cactus, mesquite · Thickets or shrubs
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States · Southwestern United States

result:171-cassin-s-sparrow:1:1 Source: 171 Cassin's Sparrow, row 1