Looks like this weeks theme is shaping up to be all about sparrows lol! These sweet little birds are often overlooked by many due to their relative abundance and *seemingly “drab” appearance.
The thing is that birds like this Song Sparrow are actually pretty remarkable & resilient creatures.

Did you know that there are 31 recognized subspecies of the Song Sparrow, more than any other bird species found in North America?
They are found in every state of the Union and across all of the Canadian provinces which makes them the most common and widespread sparrow native to North America.

Their plumage varies widely within local populations in different parts of the country. Some are lightly marked and pale while others (like this one) are dark and heavily streaked with black and brown feathers.
Their plumage patterns serve as effective camouflage against predators when foraging in their preferred habitats of the tangled dense brush in open, overgrown fields.

I found this little one at Harris Lake Park in New Hill NC a couple of days ago singing his heart out in a field next to the water.

He caught my attention because I’d never seen one with such bold black “whiskers” (malar stripes) on his throat. His face reminded me of Hugh Jackmans character “Logan” from the X-Men Wolverine movies.
A few times, another Song Sparrow would enter his territory of personal space which set him off to chase away the intruder which cemented the Logan / Wolverine comparison IMO. Such a fierce little guy lol 😉

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame @canonusa
#5Ds