Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) is in the New World Sparrows family (Passerellidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 7,427 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in May.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: spring and fall migrant. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Clay-colored Sparrow: observations by month (U.S.)
About Clay-colored Sparrow
The clay-colored sparrow or clay-coloured sparrow (Spizella pallida) is a small sparrow of North America.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Clay-colored Sparrow by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 2,986 | April | Apr–May |
| California | 626 | October | Sep–Nov |
| Minnesota | 535 | May | May–Jun |
| Wisconsin | 301 | May | May–Jul |
| Colorado | 208 | May | May–May |
| Illinois | 202 | May | May–May |
| North Dakota | 175 | May | May–Jul |
| Kansas | 169 | May | Apr–May |
| South Dakota | 159 | May | May–May |
| Oklahoma | 152 | May | Apr–May |
| Nebraska | 150 | May | May–May |
| Massachusetts | 146 | October | Sep–Nov |
| Florida | 141 | October | Oct–Mar |
| New Mexico | 132 | September | Sep–Sep |
| New York | 130 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Michigan | 125 | May | May–Jun |
| Arizona | 119 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Montana | 111 | May | May–Sep |
| Oregon | 82 | November | Sep–Jan |
| Ohio | 77 | May | May–May |
| Maryland | 68 | October | Oct–Nov |
| Pennsylvania | 62 | May | May–May |
| Missouri | 56 | May | Apr–May |
| Washington | 50 | November | Sep–Nov |
| Virginia | 45 | October | Sep–Jan |
| New Jersey | 41 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Maine | 37 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Iowa | 31 | May | Apr–May |
| Louisiana | 29 | October | Oct–Dec |
| North Carolina | 27 | October | Oct–Jan |
| Indiana | 25 | May | May–May |
| Tennessee | 25 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Alabama | 22 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Connecticut | 22 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Vermont | 22 | June | May–Jun |
| Wyoming | 22 | May | May–May |
| Georgia | 19 | September | Sep–Oct |
| South Carolina | 15 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Mississippi | 14 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Utah | 12 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Nevada | 10 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Idaho | 9 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Arkansas | 8 | May | May–May |
| Kentucky | 7 | September | Aug–Nov |
| Rhode Island | 7 | October | Sep–Oct |
| District of Columbia | 5 | April | Apr–Apr |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (New World Sparrows)
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
California Towhee
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Clay-colored Sparrow?
Nationally, May has the most observations, with the main season from April to May.
Where is Clay-colored Sparrow most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, California, Minnesota.