Around our place they only rummage around in the leaves on the ground; I've never seen one sitting on a perch, so now I'll have to be on the lookout for a toe-sighting!!
Good point about the claws. The toes themselves also seem long to me, but I would need to compare with other species. Fox Sparrows are known for towhee-like or two-footed scratching while searching for food, so I'm guessing these long toes/claws might be a characteristic of this species (but I'll admit I haven't paid much attention to it!). Perhaps someone who has a lot of experience looking at Fox Sparrows, either in the field or in a museum, would be able to comment?
All the better to scratch in the leaf litter!
ReplyDeleteGreat capture!
Around our place they only rummage around in the leaves on the ground; I've never seen one sitting on a perch, so now I'll have to be on the lookout for a toe-sighting!!
ReplyDeleteWhen I look closely I see sort of normal looking toes with super long claws. Are all fox sparrows like that, I wonder?
ReplyDeleteHi, Linda,
ReplyDeleteGood point about the claws. The toes themselves also seem long to me, but I would need to compare with other species. Fox Sparrows are known for towhee-like or two-footed scratching while searching for food, so I'm guessing these long toes/claws might be a characteristic of this species (but I'll admit I haven't paid much attention to it!). Perhaps someone who has a lot of experience looking at Fox Sparrows, either in the field or in a museum, would be able to comment?
Jackie