[cobirds] Fox Sparrow at Prospect Ponds NA in Ft. Collins (Larimer)

Steve Mlodinow, who has written articles on fox sparrow subspecies ID for respected bird journals, commented the bird seen today at Prospect Ponds Natural Area (extreme se corner of the feed lot) in Fort Collins is best diagnosed as "altivagans" subspecies on the basis of the one white wing bar and pronounced stripes on the back (as opposed to the other possibility,"shistacea", which typically has a uniformly dark brown back and zero/minimal wingbars).  These things are tough.  This is a subspecies I have not knowingly observed in CO previously.

As a heads-up, the owners of the feedlot do not like folks walking in the area between the feedlot's east fenceline and the river (i.e., try to observe the bird from the social trail that goes east from Sharp Point Drive along the west and south fencelines of the feedlot).

 

Here is the photo again.

                                                 

Dave Leatherman

Fort Collins