To a birder, anything that is small, brown and difficult to identify is often referred to as an LBJ- or a Little Brown Job. 

Image

Sparrows frequently fall into this category.  It is much easier to just label a sparrow an LBJ and walk away, rather than take the time to identify the species.   But to do this is to really miss out.  Identifying sparrows can be tricky, but is worth the effort.  We recently found this one, a Vesper Sparrow, on our Miller Farm property.

Vesper Sparrows are year-round residents in our region.  In the spring and early summer they nest in grasslands.  Their nests are shallow, open cups built close to the ground in grassy meadows and hay fields.  They are one of the species whose population is threatened by certain farming practices, including the early harvest of hay.  Vespers can be identified by their distinct white eye ring, dark ear patch, streaky breast and white outer tail feathers, which are visible in flight.  With a little practice, you can easily distinguish them from similar-looking species including Song and Savannah Sparrows.