American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea)
Here is an American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea) that I photographed during my hometown Christmas Bird Count in Stratford, Connecticut yesterday, part of a flock of perhaps 15 individuals that were staying mostly out of sight. I made sure to take the photo because it was feeding on Common Reed (Phragmites australis), one of the most notorious non-native invasive plants in North America. American Tree Sparrows are well-known as seed eaters and can often be found at the top of weeds and grasses, but I do not personally remember seeing them feeding on the “phrag” before. I wonder...
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