Bird of the Month — American Tree Sparrow

Chris Peters of Halifax took this photo of an American Tree Sparrow at Grand Pre, King's County, December 28. I am re-posting it here with his permission.  Clicking the image will bring up a larger copy. The seed-eating American Tree Sparrow nests on the tundra from Alaska to Labrador, and winters throughout the continental US, the southern fringes of the prairie provinces and Quebec, and in the southern Maritimes. It's considered common in Nova Scotia in winter. Chris's photo illustrates the species' habit of fluffing out its feathers in cold weather, keeping it warmer and making its plump body look even chubbier. According to...