Texas American Sparrows

Sparrows are all around us, and many of them are strikingly beautiful, so . . . Why then do we never plan trips around seeing them? We just photograph them in the meantime until something more exciting shows up. Sparrows deserve respect! These tough little birds can be found in just about every environment from parched deserts to the most humid, sweltering swamps and salt marshes. And with their incessant probing and hunting for seeds and invertebrates, these birds are incredibly important ecologically. Hopefully this small collection may lead to a greater appreciation for these birds. Consarnit! We need to take a sparrow trip!

Green-tailed Towhee at Franklin Mountains State Park, West Texas
Green-tailed Towhee, Tom Mays Unit, Franklin Mountains State Park (FMSP), West Texas. Photo taken from the excellent FMSP blind. Natural morning light.
Spotted Towhee at Franklin Mountains State Park, West Texas
Male Spotted Towhee, Tom Mays Unit, Franklin Mountains Sate Park, West Texas. Photo taken from the FMSP blind. Natural light.
Brewer's Sparrow at Franklin Mountains State Park, West Texas.
Brewer’s Sparrow, Tom Mays Unit, Franklin Mountains State Park, West Texas. Photo taken from the FMSP blind. Natural light.
Black-throated Sparrow at Franklin Mountains State Park, West Texas
Black-throated Sparrow, Toms Mays Unit, Franklin Mountains State Park, West Texas. Photo taken from the FMSP blind. Natural light.
Chipping Sparrow at Franklin Mountains State Park, West Texas.
Immature White-crowned Sparrow, Tom Mays Unit, Franklin Mountains State Park, West Texas. Photo taken from the FMSP blind. Natural light.
Chipping Sparrow, Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Texas
Chipping Sparrow (Winter), Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Texas. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.
White-crowned Sparrow at Franklin Mountains State Park, West Texas.
White-crowned Sparrow, Tom Mays Unit, Franklin Mountains State Park, West Texas. Photo taken from the FMSP blind. Natural light.
Rufous-crowned Sparrow at Lost Maples State Natural Area, Central Texas
Young Rufous-crowned Sparrow(?), Lost Maples State Natural Area, Central Texas. We think this is a juvenile Rufous-crowned Sparrow, but invite comments from anyone who knows better, though. Natural light.
Lark Sparrow, Balcones Canyonlands, Central Texas
Lark Sparrow at Dusk, Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, Central Texas. Canon EOS 7D5/500mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.
Olive Sparrow, Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Rio Grande Valley, Texas
Olive Sparrow, Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Rio Grande Valley, Texas. The Rio Grande Valley is the only place in the U.S. where birders can see the shy and reclusive Olive Sparrow. Photography, though, is often tough as these suspicious little birds tend to cling to the shadows and underbrush. Note the spiderwebs on the head. Summer. High-speed synchronized flash.
Grasshopper Sparrow at Galveston Island State Park.
Grasshopper Sparrow, Galveston Island State Park, Gulf Coast Texas. Grasshopper Sparrows are notoriously difficult to photograph.
Song Sparrow at Brazos Bend State Park.
Song Sparrow, Brazos Bend State Park, Gulf Coast Texas. Natural light.
Swamp Sparrow at Brazos Bend State Park, Texas
Swamp Sparrow, Brazos Bend State Park, Gulf Coast Texas. Photo taken near Pilant Lake in March. Natural light.
White-throated Sparrow at Brazos Bend State Park, Texas
White-throated Sparrow Hunting Daddy-long-legs, Brazos Bend Sate Park, Gulf Coast Texas. March. Natural light.
Lincoln's Sparrow at Brazos Bend State Park, Texas
Lincoln’s Sparrow, Brazos Bend State Park, Gulf Coast Texas. Photo taken from the bridge, near Pilant Lake. Natural light.
Savannah Sparrow, Anahuac NWR
Good Morning, Sunshine! A Savannah Sparrow Greets a New December Day, Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Texas. Canon EOS 7DII/600mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.
Seaside Sparrow, McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge, Texas
Seaside Sparrow, McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge, Texas. Looking for a challenge in bird photography? Look no further. Canon EOS 7D/500mm f/4L IS (+1.4x TC). Natural light.

 © 2015 Christopher R. Cunningham and Elisa D. Lewis. All rights reserved. No text or images may be duplicated or distributed without permission.

10 Responses

  3. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful photos of these sweet neighbors. I don’t realize the great variations in looks of these happy little birds. I grew up in South Texas on the Gulf. Most of these are totally new to me.

    Reply

    1. Hello:
      Thank you for your kind words! Yes, sparrows are charming little birds, and we always keep our eyes open for new species to be enjoyed. Cheers, Chris

      Reply

  5. Hey Chris, just happened upon your Sparrow photo bomb! I LOVE Sparrows, and I totally agree we oughta all be going out on Sparrow Finding Trips! Do you have any Leconte’s Sparrow photos? I just saw one this morning (Dec 13, 2018) and they are gorgeous, but I am NOT a photographer. Thanks for the Sparrows! Oen

    Reply

    1. Thanks for the comment, Oen! No, we have neither seen nor photographed the Le Conte’s Sparrow. They are possible here in the winter, but haven’t crossed paths with them–although we have seen two similar species (Nelson’s Sharp-tailed and Grasshopper). We ALMOST took a sparrow trip up to Oklahoma last winter, but too many complications emerged. In about a week we’ll be able to do some more serious birding! Cheers, Chris

      Reply

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