Passerines pages initiated July 20, 1999; Last updated:  February 18, 2003

Chapter 8:

PASSERINES, Part IV
(Tanagers through Sparrows)

Mississippi Coast Arrival / Departure Records

KEY:

TANAGERS (Thraupidae)

Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra)

Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): March 20 -- October 30; November 30 -- February 18. There are now records for all months of the year, so it must be considered possible year-round. However, migration arrival dates can still be obtained at areas where it's not known to breed...

SPRING early dates:

FALL late dates:

WINTER records (in order by month):

Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)

Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): April 2 -- May 20; September 10 -- November 13.
Passerines which winter entirely within South America, as does Scarlet Tanager, are virtually unknown in the United States during that season (J.V. Remsen, pers. comm). Birders finding these birds during winter should document their findings carefully and thoroughly.

SPRING early dates:

SPRING late dates:

FALL early dates:

FALL late dates:

WINTER records:

Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)

Range by Toups and Jackson (1987):  

ALL records:

SPARROWS and ALLIES (Emberizidae)

Green-tailed Towhee (Pipilo chlorurus)

ALL records:

Spotted Towhee (Piplio maculatus)

No coastal records

Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)

Permanent resident

Bachman's Sparrow (Aimophila aestivalis)

Permanent resident.

American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea)

ALL records:

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)

Listed as resident species by Burleigh (1944), but common only during fall and winter....
Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 13--April 23; May 24, June 5; August 3-10.

FALL early dates:

SPRING late dates:

SUMMER records:

Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida)

Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): September 22--November 5; December 8 & 27.

FALL early dates:

WINTER late dates:

SPRING records:

Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)

Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 12--April 23. One nesting record -- May 26, 1911, AHH, (Burleigh 1944)

FALL early dates:

SPRING late dates:

Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)

Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 27--March 31.

FALL early dates:

SPRING late dates:

Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)

Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): August 16--November 3; December 8--21, March 3-23.

ALL records (for now) to help us get a handle on the bird's true status...:

Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys)

ALL records:

Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)

Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): September 13--May 12.

FALL early dates:

SPRING late dates:

Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum)

Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 14--May 4.

FALL early dates:

SPRING late dates:

Henslow's Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii)

Winter resident, formerly considered rare (Toups and Jackson 1987) but now considered uncommon winter resident / locally common in suitable habitat (Chandler and Woodrey 1995).
Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): December 8--May 22.

WINTER early dates:

SPRING late dates:

Le Conte's Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii)

Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 14--April 8, May 3.

FALL early dates:

SPRING late dates:

Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow (Ammodramus nelsoni)

Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): September 15--May 12.

FALL early dates:

SPRING late dates:

Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus)

Permanent resident

Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)

Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): November 24--February 25. 

FALL early dates:

FALL late dates:

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 15--April 20.

FALL early dates:

Spring departure dates:

Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)

Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 31--May 7. 

FALL early dates:

SPRING late dates:

Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)

Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): September 27--May 5.

FALL early dates:

SPRING late dates:

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 15--May 11.

FALL early dates:

SPRING late dates:

Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula)

ALL records:

White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)

Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 8--March 25. 

FALL early dates:

SPRING late dates:

Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

"Slate-colored" race prevalent here.
Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 22, November 1--April 13.

FALL early dates:

SPRING late dates:

"Oregon" Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis oreganus)

ALL records:

McCown's Longspur (Calcarius mccownii)

No coastal records, though JAT reported 2 unidentified longspurs--either Chestnut-collared or McCown's--along Texas Flat Road, Hancock Co., on December 29, 1987 (Hodges 1988).

Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus)

ALL records:

Smith's Longspur (Calcarius pictus)

No coastal records.

Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus)

No coastal records, though JAT reported 2 unidentified longspurs--either Chestnut-collared or McCown's--along Texas Flat Road, Hancock Co., on December 29, 1987 (Hodges 1988).

Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)

No coastal records.

Send broken links or other suggestions / comments to Stacy Peterson; [email protected]

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