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Most of the birds that visit feeders in winter are in the Finch family, Fringillidae. This, the largest family of birds, is also considered the most recently evolved and the most adaptable. Cardinals, Juncos, Goldfinches, House Finches and sparrows all belong to this family that also includes towhees, grosbeaks and buntings.
A distinguishing characteristic of this family is the coneshaped beak, a sort of all-pur-, pose bill that enables the birds to capture and eat insects in summer when they are plentiful, and exist on berries, fruits and seeds in winter. Members of the family now visiting bird feeders have avoided the hazards of long-distance, nocturnal, over-water migration to the tropics.
That is a simplification of the evolutionary success of this group of birds but it helps to explain the adaptability of members of this family that delight us during Virginia winters.
The sparrows are confusing but they are well worth the time and effort it takes to straighten them out for identification. Bird watchers often refer to sparrows as "... those little brown jobs.” They are more than that for me.
“Thank you for that piece
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