What color are the crown stripes on immature White-crowned Sparrows?
Answer
Brownish or buffy with dark brown stripes
Immature birds are easily differentiated from adults primarily by their less defined head pattern. Instead of the sharp adult markings, the crowns of young White-crowned Sparrows are brownish or buffy in coloration. These buffy areas are separated by stripes that are dark brown, lacking the sharp black-and-white definition characteristic of mature individuals. This difference highlights a key identification marker for aging the bird in the field.
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