[Maine-birds] Re: non-recurring, episodic Maine bird quiz

Hi folks,

I posted the answer to the quiz. The bird is a Song Sparrow. This
year's crop of young 'uns were out and about by late May, sporting
their confusing juvenal plumage. The feathers of this plumage are a
looser texture than older feather generations. The tips of the flight
feathers are also differently shaped. This first coat of contour
feathers is fundamentally different in many ways and has long been
recognized as distinctive. The debate over naming of plumages and
their evolutionary homologies continues with an editorial by Gerard
Hawkins published in the most recent issue of the Wilson Journal of
Ornithology. This topic is as confusing as the plumages.

Below is the link to my quiz photo. Links there take you to some
photos of potential confusions species. Guesses included Vesper
Sparrow, immature White-throated Sparrow, and immature Spizella:

http://flic.kr/p/c8Xaoq

Louis Bevier
Fairfield

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