_Peucæa æstivalis bachmani_
With a general resemblance to a Field Sparrow but
bill black and larger, cheeks and underparts more
buffy, tail shorter, no evident wing bars.
_Range._ Southeastern United States from central
Georgia to Virginia and from northwestern Florida
to central Illinois; winters from North Carolina
to northern Florida.
Where 'scrub' oaks grow beneath the pines, or post, or white oaks form
open woods, there one may look for this rather retiring, sweet-voiced
Sparrow. If one can imagine a Hermit Thrush singing the Field Sparrow's
chant, he will have some conception of the rare quality of Bachman's
Sparrow's song. The nest is built on the ground, the white unmarked eggs
being laid early in May.
The Pine Woods Sparrow (_P. æ. æstivalis_), is a darker race, more
streaked above with black. It is resident in Florida (except the
northwestern part) and southern Georgia where it frequents pine forests
undergrown with scrub palmetto.