Red Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca zaboria), Upper Madera Canyon, Santa Cruz County

This Red Fox Sparrow was photographed by Laurens Halsey on 27 February 2014

This "Red" Fox Sparrow was discovered by Luis Calvo on 2/25/2014 at the feeders at the Churarosa Inn in Madera Canyon. Laurens Halsey photographed this bird on 2/27/2014.

The Slate-colored Fox Sparrow is the expected form in Arizona. The other three forms (Red, Sooty and Thick-billed) have all occurred in Arizona, but the Red Fox Sparrow is the most frequent of these. "Red" Fox Sparrow (iliaca group) is itself split into two subspecies. The western P. i. zaboria is the subspecies known to occur in Arizona but it is not separable in the field from the other subspecies of Red Fox Sparrow, P. i. iliac. A Red Fox Sparrow was present in lower Madera Canyon (Whitehouse Picnic Area more than a mile away) in late December 2013 & early January 2014 as well as the winter 2012-2013.

Rufous crown streaks and auriculars on an otherwise gray head separate the "Red" from other forms of Fox Sparrow. The overall bold bright rusty breast streaking & spotting (inverted 'V's ), thin white wing bars, and the bright yellowish bill are also indicators of this subspecies group of Fox Sparrow.

27 February 2014, photo by Laurens Halsey