Rufous-collared Sparrow in Georgetown, Colorado 8 May 2011
On May 8, 2011, a visiting birder discovered a singing Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) in the town of Georgetown at an elevation of about 8500 ft. in Clear Creek County, Colorado. It was singing and has been observed at the same location almost daily since then. I viewed it (and photographed it) on May 21, 2011. Although provenance cannot be proven, this bird would represent the first USA record of this species, which is native to Latin America from southern Mexico to Tierra del Fuego, and also Hispaniola. For discussions on the potential legitimacy of this record, see the archived posts on the COBirds listserve.