Sparrow Dipped In Raspberry Juice

Day 205: For all of the fact that David Sibley's bird illustrations are often even better than real life because he has placed subtle emphasis on critical field identification points, you cannot beat Roger Tory Peterson's lyrical descriptions. Take Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) for example. Of its colouration, Peterson says that it looks like a "sparrow dipped in raspberry juice." How apt! Without its pinkish wash, this bird would be just one more LBJ ("Little Brown Job"), and indeed the females are just that, although their heavier bills will clue observant birders into their true nature. Both Sibley and Peterson point to the blurry breast markings to distinguish this species from House Finch. I say, "Houses have shingles," i.e., strong brown flecks on the breast, whereas Purples look like their dye jobs ran down their shirt fronts in the rain. Cassin's (another similar species) could almost be said to be a blend of the two. It has streaked flanks only slightly lighter than those of House Finch, but the blurry breast markings of Purple. A trained eye can distinguish brighter red on Cassin's crown, although this feature is fairly difficult to detect. Good luck to you if you live in an area where the ranges overlap as they do here!

Sparrow Dipped In Raspberry Juice

Day 170: Roger Tory Peterson's "Field Guide to Western Birds" was my first bird guide and still remains a favourite, balancing just about equally with that by David Allen Sibley. I frequently use the two side-by-side to compare the finer points of identification, and on any given occasion, it may be one or the other which tips the scales. That said, Peterson wins hands-down when it comes to humour, describing Purple Finch (recently reclassified as Haemorhous purpureus) as looking like "a sparrow dipped in raspberry juice." To differentiate Purple Finch from House Finch where the two species occur together, simply remember that "houses have shingles." The breast of House Finch is marked by distinct dark flecks while that of the raspberry-juice-dipped-sparrow are blurry and pale. East Coast populations of Purple Finch are darker than those found on the West Coast. The females of both are coarsely streaked, the only factor which saves them from being lumped as "LBJs" or "Little Brown Jobs" in birder parlance. Purple Finches eat a wide variety of foods, including seeds, insects, nectar, young leaf buds and fruit.

Haemorhous Purpureus, Purple Finch

Day 131: Ornithologist-naturalist Roger Tory Peterson had the most marvelous way with words. In his field guide, he aptly describes the Purple Finch as looking "like a sparrow dipped in raspberry juice." While this description could also apply to House Finch, where the two species occur together, another distinctive marking separates them in the field, and for this aide-memoire, you can thank your correspondent: "Houses have shingles," i.e., the breast is strongly marked by dark streaks, whereas in Purple Finch, the breast is clear. However, when you're updating your Life List, be sure to make a note in your field guide. Purple Finch has been the target of those fiendish taxonomists and is no longer called "Carpodacus purpureus." It is now Haemorhous purpureus, "Haemorhous" is also reflected in the nomenclature for Cassin's Finch and House Finch after DNA proved that the American species are unrelated to Eurasian rosefinches.

Best Of The Shelf

Day 268: We all have our favorite books. Mine just don't happen to be fiction, biographies, collections of poetry or historical accounts. Nope, my favorite books are field guides, and I have them on a variety of subjects ranging from rocks and minerals, weather phenomena and animal tracks to birds, wildflowers and mushrooms and the more specialized category of lichens.

Among habitual users of field guides, the best resources are generally referred to by author's name. "Brodo" is the North American lichen expert, "Sibley" and "Roger Tory Peterson" ("Roger Tory" for short) the bird men. "Mark Turner" is my go-to guy for Washington wildflowers, alongside "Pojar and MacKinnon." Backing up the hard copies, I also have Sibley on my Kindle Fire, ready to use in the field when some warbler crosses my field of vision.

It always pays to cross-reference. Species names change. Microseris alpestris may appear in one reference with the same plant identified as Nothocalais alpestris in another. These changes often reflect the growth of knowledge about the plant or bird/animal. Taxonomy is a science unto itself, and a little Latin goes a long way in helping the field scientist track a particular specimen down. What shape are the leaves? What is the growth habit? Chances are good that the nomenclature will refer to an identifying feature.

For my nickel (and often a more substantial dip into my bank account), field guides are the best books you can add to your library, even if all you do is look at the pretty pictures. Better yet, learn to use the keys and start exploring the fascinating world which exists all around you. Grab your binocs and magnifiers and let's go on a field trip!