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White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
Above and below: Eastern White-crowned Sparrows at Prime Hook NWR, Delaware (3/2/2008).
Below: An adult Eastern White-crowned Sparrow stops in our Pasadena, Maryland yard (5/3/2012).
Below: An adult Gambel's White-crowned Sparrow at Prime Hook NWR, Delaware (3/2/2008). This bird was accepted as the first documented record for Delaware.
Above and below: An adult Eastern White-crowned Sparrow in Frederick Co., Maryland (11/4/2006).
Below: A presumed immature Gambel's White-crowned Sparrow (Z. l. gambelii) found west of Butlertown, Kent Co., Maryland (2/25/2007).
Below: An immature Eastern White-crowned Sparrow (Z. l. leucophrys) at the same location for comparison (2/25/2007). The plain lores on the Gambel's is probably the easiest field mark to observe.
Below: Below: A presumed Gambel's White-crowned Sparrow at Chesapeake Farms, Kent Co., Maryland (11/9/2007). Interestingly, many of the state's records of this subspecies come from this part of the state. This was my second in the state; the other was just a couple miles away on 2/25/2007 with Jim Brighton.
Below: Here's an Eastern White-crowned at the same location for comparison. Note especially the dark lore. This field mark stands out even more in most Eastern individuals. Note that the Gambel's doesn't have even a suggestion of dark in the lore.
Below: Immature Eastern White-crowned Sparrows at Remington Farms, Kent Co., Maryland (12/20/2010).
Below: "Puget Sound" White-crowned Sparrows (Z. l. pugetensis) in coastal northwestern Oregon (6/20-21/2005).
Below: Adult and juvenile White-crowned Sparrows in coastal northwestern Oregon (6/20-21/2005).
Below: An immature "Gambel's" White-crowned Sparrow (Z. l. gambelii) at Gilbert Water Ranch, Arizona (1/6/2007).
Below: An adult "Gambel's" White-crowned Sparrow at Assateague SP, Maryland (10/22/2011).
Comments: In most parts of the Mid-Atlantic, this attractive sparrow is a fairly uncommon winter resident.