Sparrows are stripey, brown, boring little birds … right?

Not when you look closely.

Last weekend I saw Henslow’s sparrows at Piney Tract and because they were Life Birds I spent time looking carefully at each one.

At first they were confusing brown birds whose only distinguishing feature were their flat-topped heads and “Roman nose” beaks.  But then one paused on top of a bush with the light just right. 

His head and neck were washed in olive.  His wings were pale chestnut.  In that moment he was incredibly colorful.

Sparrows have a subtle beauty.  It just takes time to see.

(Henslow’s sparrow photo taken at Piney Tract last Saturday by Steve Gosser)