Suspecting that I have some proficiency in identifying birds, I’m often approached by friends asking me the possible identity of a “little brown bird” they saw in their yard.  This is a good time to address this question and demonstrate how I might have a problem with their question!

Birds come in a variety of sizes, colors and patterns.  Here are a few photos of little brown birds I’ve taken in our yard in late May:

The male House sparrow…

The female House sparrow…

A juvenile House sparrow…

A juvenile Dark-Eyed junco (Oregon race)…

A female House finch…

A Brown creeper enjoying a bath…

A juvenile European starling…

A female Brown-headed cowbird…

So how may of these birds do you think you could have identified from a non-birder’s description?

And finally (you’ll remember that I previously reminded you that there is always a “finally”), here is a bird that definitely won’t be included in the “little brown bird” category and should need no introduction… a male Painted bunting from my recent trip to Texas…