MOURC Proceedings Archive - Towhees, Sparrows Accepted
Duplicates
This is the 1981 to present Records Committee Proceedings archive for
The Loon, journal of the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union.
The last 2 years are available to MOU members.
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Proceedings
Species: Towhees, Sparrows
Cassin's Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Lark Bunting
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow
[Black-chinned Sparrow]
Brewer's Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Harris's Sparrow
Nelson's Sparrow
Baird's Sparrow
Henslow's Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Abert's Towhee
Green-tailed Towhee
Spotted Towhee

Clay-colored Sparrow (R) (Spizella pallida)Start Date 1936-01-01
RefFirstLastLocationCounty23CommentStatus
avian
information
1984-12-151985-01-20St. Louis12/15-1/20 St. Louis (first winter record)
One at J. Newman's feeder in Duluth until 1-18 for the state's first winter record. (The Loon 57: I 04).
47:1901975indexClay-colored Sparrows in Pipestone County
47:1911975indexClay-colored Sparrows in Olmsted County
57:104-1051985indexMinnesota's First Wintering Clay-colored Sparrow
60:1081988-01-11NorthfieldRice(vote 3-4). The majority felt that the details did not eliminate the possibility of Chipping Sparrow; although the latter species in winter is not to be expected, it is more likely than the Clay-colored. These two sparrows are very difficult to distinguish, with rump color the best distinction, but the observers were unable to see this. The identification was based primarily by the presence of a gray nape, but Chipping Sparrows also have this feature . Not Accepted
71:361997-11-18near Detroit LakesBecker(record #98–65, vote 2–5). The description, apparently written from memory eight months after the sighting, does not consider or preclude the more likely possibility of Chipping Sparrow. No mention is made of the presence/absence of a malar stripe, the color of the lores, or the rump color, which are the primary features to separate these two species in fall/winter. Not Accepted
avian
information
2000-12-16Dakota12/16 Dakota (first winter record)
One observed 12/6 Hennepin (Mound Springs) †SLC. Another from fall season (11/16) lingered to 1/9 Hennepin (Richfield) †CBr, †RBJ, †CRM. Second and third winter records.
avian
information
2001-01-082001-02-07Hennepin1/8, 2/7 Hennepin (first winter record)
One observed 12/6 Hennepin (Mound Springs) †SLC. Another from fall season (11/16) lingered to 1/9 Hennepin (Richfield) †CBr, †RBJ, †CRM. Second and third winter records.
avian
information
2007-01-012007-02-12Olmsted1/1-2/12 Olmsted (first winter record)
Only the second winter record in the state; present for about three weeks through 2/12 Olmsted (Rochester) ph. RuJ, JWH. The previous record was a bird overwintering in Duluth 1984–85.
avian
information
2017-12-012017-12-05Hennepin12/1, 2, 3, 5 Hennepin (second winter record)
First winter report since 2006:12/1–5 Hennepin (Minneapolis) ph. ARh, ph. GrS, m.ob.
avian
information
2018-08-052018-08-18Watonwan8/5, 7, 18 Watonwan (first fall record)
 High counts 9/15 Lac qui Parle (25) NaB, 9/26 Ramsey (13) ebd, 8/19 Scott (9) IVa. Late north 10/11 Mille Lacs MJB, DOr, 10/12 Cass DoH, Lake m.ob., 10/21 St. Louis StK, RyS (median 10/19). Late south 10/14 Ramsey ebd, Sherburne PLJ, 10/15 Ramsey HHD, 10/17 Hennepin CMB, Stevens JFl, 10/20 Hennepin JBs (median 10/18).
avian
information
2020-08-022020-08-15Watonwan8/2, 5, 15 Watonwan (second fall record)
Reports spanned the entire state including a 37% increase in southern counties from the 10-year average. High counts 8/22 Pipestone (24, Pheasant Terrace) VKl, 8/23 St. Louis (17, Park Point R.A.) StK, IDv, 8/1 Dakota (14, Vermillion Highlands W.M.A) ebd. Late north 10/24 Clay PBB, Douglas REn, RLF, Otter Tail TFu, 11/3 Polk SAu (median 10/19). Late south 10/17 Hennepin DEl, Ramsey ebd, 10/18 Dakota ebd, Freeborn JBu (median 10/18).
avian
information
2021-12-122021-12-14Martin12/12, 14 Martin (first winter record)
 Two reports of late lingering birds, the first winter observations since 2017, and only sixth and seventh in any winter: 12/12 Martin (George Lake) BRB, 12/19 Washington (Cottage Grove) ebd.
avian
information
2021-12-19Washington12/19 Washington (first winter record)
 Two reports of late lingering birds, the first winter observations since 2017, and only sixth and seventh in any winter: 12/12 Martin (George Lake) BRB, 12/19 Washington (Cottage Grove) ebd.
avian
information
2022-10-01Watonwan10/1 Watonwan (third fall record)
High counts 9/3 Polk (34, Glacial Ridge N.W.R.) GHo, KDS, 8/3 Clay (30, Bluestem Prairie S.N.A.) ebd, 9/2 Otter Tail (25, Eagle Lake Twp.) JSw, JsS. Late north 10/20 Douglas (2) BEc, 10/22 St. Louis (2) ebd, 10/30 Otter Tail ebd, 10/30–31 Cook WCM, m.ob. (median 10/19). Late south 10/18 Hennepin ebd, Ramsey ebd, 10/20 Yellow Medicine GWe, 10/29 Washington GWe, 11/3 Scott TWe (median 10/18).
 
 Breeds throughout.

Notes:

The information in the above table comes from several different sources. The count in column 1 indicates which of the sources is considered the primary source.
'Accepted' MOURC entries from The MOURC Proceedings
'Not Accepted' or 'Rejected' MOURC entry from The MOURC Proceedings
Accepted MOU records assembled by David Cahlander
Sighting records for ()
Avian information from the occurrence maps, in dark red, assembled by Robert Janssen. Seasonal report for the species/season published in The Loon or The Flicker has been added.
Information from The Loon index assembled by Anthony Hertzel and David Cahlander