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Bathing White-crowned Sparrow


Bathing White-crowned Sparrow
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter van Zoest (PeterZ) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2016-09-09
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D90, Sigma 135-400mm f/4.5-5.6 APO, Digital RAW
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/320 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2016-10-19 3:04
Viewed: 1512
Points: 12
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) is a medium-sized sparrow native to North America.

Description
Adults are 18 cm long and have black and white stripes on their head, a gray face, brown streaked upper parts and a long tail. The wings are brown with bars and the underparts are gray. Their bill is pink or yellow. They are similar in appearance to the White-throated Sparrow, but do not have the white throat markings or yellow lores.

Subspecies
There are five currently recognized subspecies of White-crowned Sparrow (pugetensis, gambelii, nuttalli, oriantha, and leucophrys), varying in breeding distribution migratory route. Birds of the subspecies nutalli are permanent residents in California, while birds of the subspecies gambelli may migrate as far as the Arctic Circle during the summer breeding season. Northern birds migrate to the southern United States.

Distribution
Their breeding habitat is brushy areas across northern Canada and the western United States.
The White-crowned Sparrow is a very rare vagrant to western Europe. It has been sighted in England, Scotland, Ireland and Norway.

Behavior
These birds forage on the ground or in low vegetation, but sometimes make short flights to catch flying insects. They mainly eat seeds, other plant parts and insects. In winter, they often forage in flocks.
White-crowned Sparrows nest either low in bushes or on the ground under shrubs and lay three to five brown-marked gray or greenish-blue eggs.
The White-crowned Sparrow is known for its natural alertness mechanism, which allows it to stay awake for up to two weeks during migration. This effect has been studied for possible human applications, such as shift-work drowsiness or truck driving.

Source: Wikipedia
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2016-10-19 5:24]

Hi Peter,lovely capture,it's always nice and funny too to see a bird taking a bath,an excellent shot,fantastic details on the drops despite the dark light. Have a nice day and thanks,Luciano

Hello Peter,
Well captured this 'White-Crowned Sparrow'. Like its bathing moment with splashing water in the air. Good details and well focused on its eye. Well framed.
Thanks for sharing,
Regards,
Srikumar

hallo Peter
Lijkt wel of je er boven op staat met je foto toestel
mooie opname met leuke details en prachtige kleuren

Ja Peter ze komen er toch nog aan,
vanmiddag heel wat gezien
gr lou

  • Great 
  • tuslaw Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2754 W: 282 N: 4931] (19883)
  • [2016-10-20 3:38]

Hello Peter,
I get to see these beautiful sparrows every spring during the migration. I have never seen one bathing before, how special. Lovely colors and nice sharp details.
Ron

Hello Peter
What a lovely scene and also a lovely female Sparrow, indeed it is her bath time and she is enjoy it, another wild life from miles away well done
PETER VAN ZOEST

Hello Peter,
very nice and cure click, good reflections in the water and splendid frozen water drops, TFS,
Nelson

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