^Sparrow in a Four-wing saltbush in early fall.
Brewer's sparrows migrate through our area on their way to wintering grounds in southern Arizona, southeastern California to Texas and Mexico. A big pulse commes through in late August and early September. I see less of them in spring migration.
Brewer's sparrows breed in Great Basin sagebrush habitats to the north of Oasis Valley, where they are common. The nearby Grapevine Mountains 20 miles to the west hosts these sparrows as breeders. They place their nets low in sagebrush plants. They winter south in southern California, Arizona and New Mexico deserts. Wintering birds have also been reported around Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley about an hour's drive to the southwest.
These small sparrows give a weak "tsip" call. They feed in groups on the ground in open areas or the edges of saltbush and rabbitbrush areas and weedy ground. In pure groups or mixing with White-crowned sparrows, they can be difficult to separate from fall Chipping sparrows, which have more distinct supercilium stripe above the eye, more distinct post-ocular stripe (behind the eye), and dark lores (the area in front of the eye by the bill) -- Brewer's sparrows have pale lores. Chipping sparrows have a browner pale breast, while Brewer's sparrows have a pale gray-buff breast.
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