Chipping Sparrows; Early April Migration to Northern Illinos

A Chipping Sparrow, Blackhawk Springs Forest preserve, Rockford, IL; 4/25/2011.

Along with Field Sparrows (yesterday's post), Chipping Sparrows (Above) are another one of the earliest sparrows to return to northern Illinois to spend the summer.  Chipping Sparrows are named for their song - a long drawn out mechanical trill. One can hear these sparrows "chipping" away from the tree tops, especially early in the morning. They are one of the first birds I hear each spring and summer morning.

Chipping Sparrow, Rock Cut State Park, Rockford, IL; 5/8/2011.

Chipping Sparrows are very common throughout the U.S. from coast to coast, covering everywhere except the extreme south (Florida, along the Gulf Coast, Texas and southern Arizona). However in winter they will migrate to those southern areas and into Mexico. They have a bright reddish crown and a black eye-stripe. Underneath they are fairly clean without streaks or smudges, and have two white wing bars to break up their reddish brownish coloring.

Chipping Sparrow, Espenscheid Forest Preserve, Rockford, IL; 5/22/2011.