Quick Answer
The clay-colored sparrow and chipping sparrow are two similar looking bird species found in North America. The main differences between them are:
- Plumage color – Clay-colored sparrows have light tan plumage while chipping sparrows are more gray.
- Facial markings – Clay-colored sparrows lack the distinct facial markings that chipping sparrows have.
- Song – The songs of the two species sound different.
- Range – Clay-colored sparrows breed further north while chipping sparrows are found further south.
- Habitat – Clay-colored sparrows prefer open scrub while chipping sparrows like forest edges.
Plumage Differences
The most noticeable difference between these two sparrow species is their plumage coloration. Clay-colored sparrows get their name from their predominantly buffy or pale tan feathers. Their wings, back, and crown are a light brownish-gray color. The breast and belly is a plain buffy white or pale gray. Overall, they have very little streaking or markings on their plumage.
Chipping sparrows, on the other hand, are more cold gray in color. Their wings, back, and crown are a colder steel gray color than the warmer brownish-gray of the clay-colored. The breast has dusky mottled streaking and the face often has a reddish-brown cap. While clay-colored sparrows blend into dry grassland environments with their soft tan feathers, chipping sparrows are better camouflaged against tree bark and forest floors.
Facial Marking Differences
In addition to differences in overall coloration, chipping and clay-colored sparrows differ in their facial markings. Chipping sparrows have a distinctive reddish-brown cap on the crown that stands out from the gray feathers. They also have a bold black eye stripe and thin whitish eye ring. Their bills are short and conical.
Clay-colored sparrows, in contrast, have very plain facial features. Their bills are pinkish with a dark tip. They lack any bold stripes, caps, or eye rings. Their facial disks are the same plain color as the rest of their head and breast. The plain faces of clay-colored sparrows help distinguish them from the more striking chipping sparrows.
Song Differences
These two sparrow species have distinctive songs that help experts distinguish them in the field. The clay-colored sparrow has a simple, high-pitched buzzing trill that it repeats over and over. It stays on one pitch and rhythm. This trilling song has been described as similar to the sound of a bouncing ping pong ball.
Meanwhile, the chipping sparrow sings a more variable and complex song made up of discrete notes. It includes a couple of introductory notes followed by a trilled series of higher pitched chips or clews. This trill speeds up towards the end before dropping off. The song has a lower pitch than the clay-colored’s buzzing.
Range and Habitat
Clay-colored and chipping sparrows occupy overlapping but slightly different breeding ranges in North America. Clay-colored sparrows are found further north and west into Canada and Alaska. Chipping sparrows range further south into the United States and down into Mexico.
During the breeding season, the two species also frequent different habitats. Clay-colored sparrows prefer open scrublands, prairies, and steppe environments with low vegetation. Chipping sparrows, on the other hand, are more often found along forest edges, in parks, and in shrubby areas. In the winter, they form mixed flocks but clay-colored sparrows remain more tied to dry open areas.
Physical Size Differences
In terms of physical size, clay-colored sparrows tend to be slightly larger than chipping sparrows, though there is extensive overlap. Clay-colored sparrows measure 11.5-13.5 cm beak to tail with a wingspan of 20-24 cm and body mass of 11-20 grams. Chipping sparrows are smaller at 11-13 cm in length, 16-21 cm wingspan, and 8-12 grams in weight. The size difference follows the general rule that birds in more northern ranges tend to be larger.
Identification Tips
Here are some tips for identifying and telling apart these two similar-looking sparrow species:
Clay-colored Sparrow
- Uniform pale tan plumage with little to no streaking
- Pinkish bill with dark tip
- No distinct facial markings
- Simple buzzing trill song
- Found in open scrubby grasslands
- Slightly larger than chipping sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
- Cold gray plumage with some streaking
- Reddish-brown cap on crown
- Bold eye stripe and thin eye ring
- Complex trilled chip song
- Found in forest edges and woodland
- Slightly smaller than clay-colored sparrow
Paying attention to subtle plumage colors, facial patterns, song, location, and size can help correctly distinguish these two similar species. In some cases, getting a good visual of the bird or listening to its song may be necessary for certain identification.
Taxonomy and Relation
Clay-colored and chipping sparrows belong to the large Emberizidae family of American sparrows. This expansive family consists of over 100 species of small seed-eating songbirds. More specifically, the two species are placed in the Spizella genus of small brown New World sparrows.
Some key facts about their taxonomy and relation:
- Clay-colored sparrow scientific name – Spizella pallida
- Chipping sparrow scientific name – Spizella passerina
- Closest relative is the Brewer’s sparrow
- Part of New World nine-primaried oscine songbirds
- Both species originated in North America
- They are not considered threatened or endangered
As members of the same genus, clay-colored and chipping sparrows are closely related. They likely shared a common ancestor in North America several million years ago before diverging into separate species through isolation and adaptation to different environments and food sources. Their similar appearance and behaviors reflect this close evolutionary relationship.
Behaviors and Diet
Despite some differences, clay-colored and chipping sparrows share many common behaviors and habits as well.
Foraging and Diet
Both species forage for food in a similar manner, by hopping along the ground and scratching through leaf litter with both feet to uncover seeds and insects. Chipping sparrows sometimes forage in low bushes as well. They eat a predominantly grain and seed based diet, consisting of:
- Grass and weed seeds
- Grains such as wheat, millet, and corn
- Pine seeds
- Fruit and berries when available
- Insects like beetles, caterpillars, ants
This adaptable diet allows them to thrive in a variety of open and edge habitats. During breeding season, they feed more insects to their young. At feeders, they both prefer millet but will also eat black oil sunflower seeds, cracked corn, and other grains.
Nesting and Reproduction
The two sparrows build very similar dome-shaped nests low in trees or shrubs made of twigs, grasses, and other plant material. They line the nests with finer grasses, moss, animal hair, and feathers.
Females of both species lay 3-5 eggs which hatch after about two weeks. The young fledge from the nest after 8-13 days. Pairs may raise 2-3 broods per mating season from April to August.
Migration
Clay-colored and chipping sparrows winter in the southern USA and Mexico after breeding further north. They migrate at night in loose flocks. Spring migration runs from March to May while fall migration is September through November. Their wintering grounds have some overlap though clay-colored sparrows tend to go further south.
Population and Conservation
According to the IUCN Red List, both clay-colored and chipping sparrows have large populations and a least concern conservation status.
Some key population estimates:
- Clay-colored sparrow: 14 million, stable trend
- Chipping sparrow: 75 million, increasing trend
These abundant species adapt readily to human altered habitats like farms, ranches, parks, and suburban areas. Conversion of forests to edge habitat likely benefits the chipping sparrow. The clay-colored sparrow’s scrubland environments face more threats from modern agriculture. However, both species remain common and widespread at this time. Backyard bird feeders provide an important supplemental food source during migration and winter. Maintaining a mix of open and forested habitats can support populations of both species.
Fun Facts
Here are a few fun and interesting facts about these two sparrow species:
- The clay-colored sparrow was previously known as the “clay-colored bunting”
- Its name comes from the bland clay-like color of its plumage
- Chipping sparrows often feed on the ground near cattle and horses to catch insects they stir up
- The chipping sparrow’s trilling song can sound like a repetitive “chip!”
- They get their name from this distinct call
- Clay-colored sparrows don’t produce many vocalizations outside of breeding season
- Their legs turn bright pink during the breeding season
- Both species sometimes interbreed where their ranges overlap
Conclusion
In summary, the clay-colored and chipping sparrow exhibit a mix of similarities and subtle differences. Their shared genus points to a close evolutionary relationship, but they have adapted to slightly different ecological niches. While identification can be tricky for amateur birders, focusing on plumage color patterns, facial markings, vocalizations, range, and habitat can help distinguish between these two abundant North American sparrow species. Their populations remain stable and they readily visit backyard bird feeders, making them a fun species for birdwatchers to observe and compare.