Clay-Colored Sparrow
Spizella pallida

The Clay-Colored Sparrow breeds in brushy areas from the Great Lakes and the prairies of the northern states and north into most of central Canada. They typically spend winters from southern Texas and south into most of Mexico.
Today’s science regards the Clay-Colored Sparrow as monotypic (i.e. no subspecies).
Pair bonds last but one season, and while males return to the same territory every year, the females will find new mates each summer. Chicks leave the nest a week before they can fly and hop around under the cover of dense brush where the parents feed them. When not nesting, these birds will group into flocks, often with other sparrows.
I first met this species in Canada while driving to Alaska in 2005. I did not meet them again until 2021 in south Texas. My Texas meetings were more productive than those in Canada. In 2022, while on my way to Canada, I met more of these birds in Montana.
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15 Photos

Clay-colored Sparrow(Spizella pallida) |
Description: (Spizella pallida) To date, this is the only individual of this species I've met. Little Lake, Alberta, Canada 2005-06-04. |
Date Taken: 2005:06:04 9:58 |
Location:
Little Lake |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/12.0, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD3391.ClayColoredSparrow |
© 2005 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |


Clay-Colored Sparrow(Spizella pallida) |
Description: (Spizella pallida) A cut-out image of the only individual of this species I've met. Little Lake, Alberta, Canada 2005-06-04. |
Date Taken: 2005:06:04 9:58 |
Location:
Little Lake |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/12.0, 1/640 |
File Name: Cut_JCD3391.ClayColoredSparrow |
© 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Clay-Colored Sparrow(Spizella pallida) |
Description: A bird in Canada (2005) was the only other member of this species I’d met. I was glad to meet them again here on SPI. Tuesday's all day visit to capture images at the SPI Convention Centre was fruitful. The folks I met were great, and the birds were amazing |
Date Taken: 2021:03:30 12:46 |
Location:
Convention Center |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: ClayColoredSparrow_D5X7542-SPI_ConventionCenter |
© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Clay-Colored Sparrow(Spizella pallida) |
Description: A bird in Canada (2005) was the only other member of this species I’d met. I was glad to meet them again here on SPI. Tuesday's all day visit to capture images at the SPI Convention Centre was fruitful. The folks I met were great, and the birds were amazing |
Date Taken: 2021:03:30 12:46 |
Location:
Convention Center |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: ClayColoredSparrow_D5X7551-SPI_ConventionCenter |
© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Clay-Colored Sparrow(Spizella pallida) |
Description: A bird in Canada (2005) was the only other member of this species I’d met. I was glad to meet them again here on SPI. Tuesday's all day visit to capture images at the SPI Convention Centre was fruitful. The folks I met were great, and the birds were amazing |
Date Taken: 2021:03:30 12:46 |
Location:
Convention Center |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: ClayColoredSparrow_D5X7555-SPI_ConventionCenter |
© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Clay-Colored Sparrow(Spizella pallida) |
Description: This bird gave me my best views for the species I’ve captured to date. I had an exceptional day at the SPI Convention Centre. I met three new bird species: Veery, Dickcissel, and Black-Billed Cuckoo. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:15 10:29 |
Location:
Convention Center |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: ClayColoredSparrow_D5X5357-SPI_ConventionCtr |
© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Clay-Colored Sparrow(Spizella pallida) |
Description: This bird gave me my best views for the species I’ve captured to date. I had an exceptional day at the SPI Convention Centre. I met three new bird species: Veery, Dickcissel, and Black-Billed Cuckoo. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:15 10:29 |
Location:
Convention Center |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: ClayColoredSparrow_D5X5348-SPI_ConventionCtr |
© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Clay-Colored Sparrow(Spizella pallida) |
Description: This bird gave me my best views for the species I’ve captured to date. I had an exceptional day at the SPI Convention Centre. I met three new bird species: Veery, Dickcissel, and Black-Billed Cuckoo. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:15 10:28 |
Location:
Convention Center |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: ClayColoredSparrow_D5X5333-SPI_ConventionCtr |
© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Clay-Colored Sparrow(Spizella pallida) |
Description: This bird gave me my best views for the species I’ve captured to date. I had an exceptional day at the SPI Convention Centre. I met three new bird species: Veery, Dickcissel, and Black-Billed Cuckoo. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:15 10:28 |
Location:
Convention Center |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: ClayColoredSparrow_D5X5325-SPI_ConventionCtr |
© 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Clay-Colored Sparrow(Spizella pallida) |
Description: The snow and frozen rain made traveling hazardous, so I found a large empty lot to park on the outskirts of Lewistown Montana. I planned to work on my blogs, but when I noticed four species of sparrows and other birds nearby, I had to grab my camera. |
Date Taken: 2022:05:20 12:06 |
Location:
Stockyards |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: ClayColoredSparrow_8502335-Lewiston.MT_ |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Clay-Colored Sparrow(Spizella pallida) |
Description: The snow and frozen rain made traveling hazardous, so I found a large empty lot to park on the outskirts of Lewistown Montana. I planned to work on my blogs, but when I noticed four species of sparrows and other birds nearby, I had to grab my camera. |
Date Taken: 2022:05:20 13:46 |
Location:
Stockyards |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: ClayColoredSparrow_8502601-Lewiston.MT_ |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Clay-Colored Sparrow(Spizella pallida) |
Description: The snow and frozen rain made traveling hazardous, so I found a large empty lot to park on the outskirts of Lewistown Montana. I planned to work on my blogs, but when I noticed four species of sparrows and other birds nearby, I had to grab my camera. |
Date Taken: 2022:05:20 14:21 |
Location:
Stockyards |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: ClayColoredSparrow_8502684-Lewiston.MT_ |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Clay-Colored Sparrow(Spizella pallida) |
Description: The snow and frozen rain made traveling hazardous, so I found a large empty lot to park on the outskirts of Lewistown Montana. I planned to work on my blogs, but when I noticed four species of sparrows and other birds nearby, I had to grab my camera. |
Date Taken: 2022:05:20 14:21 |
Location:
Stockyards |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: ClayColoredSparrow_8502690-Lewiston.MT_ |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Clay-Colored Sparrow(Spizella pallida) |
Description: The snow and frozen rain made traveling hazardous, so I found a large empty lot to park on the outskirts of Lewistown Montana. I planned to work on my blogs, but when I noticed four species of sparrows and other birds nearby, I had to grab my camera. |
Date Taken: 2022:05:20 14:21 |
Location:
Stockyards |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: ClayColoredSparrow_8502728-Lewiston.MT_ |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Clay-Colored Sparrow(Spizella pallida) |
Description: The snow and frozen rain made traveling hazardous, so I found a large empty lot to park on the outskirts of Lewistown Montana. I planned to work on my blogs, but when I noticed four species of sparrows and other birds nearby, I had to grab my camera. |
Date Taken: 2022:05:20 14:24 |
Location:
Stockyards |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: ClayColoredSparrow_8502746-Lewiston.MT_ |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |

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