Sparrow Imposters

- All sparrows are small, brown streaked birds.

- I saw a small, streaked brown bird.

- Therefore the bird I saw was a sparrow.

This fractured syllogism highlights a common misconception. There are many birds that look like sparrows, but which are not. Here are a few of these insidious imposters.

Female House Finch

Pine Siskin

Female Red-winged Blackbird

American Pipit

Lark Bunting 

Here's a change up.  The Dark-eyed Junco does not look like the typical sparrow,

but it is a member of the sparrow family.