About this. For what it is worth, the pictures in HANZAB are much better than
those in Pizzey.
Yes the collar of the Tree Sparrows is incomplete, it goes around the side of
the neck (a bit like the collar on the Aust. Hobby). On the middle of the back
of the neck, the chestnut-brown extends from the top of the head to the upper
back. As for the flight pictures in Pizzey's book (mine is the 1997 version)
they are adequate on which to identify the birds (the beak is too big) apart
from ignoring the different shape. The Tree Sparrow's wings are actually
noticeably shorter and rounder than the House Sparrow's wings. This is not
shown. It wrongly shows the male House Sparrow with a brown, rather than grey
rump. Also the Tree Sparrow look much more rufous brown in general impression
in flight from above than the male House Sparrow. This difference and that the
Tree Sparrow has two, rather than one whitish wing bar is under emphasised in
these pictures.
However until you get really familiar with them, the face pattern & brown or
grey cap and different calls are the best clues. Their social behaviour is
different (which is what I was studying). Some rare male House Sparrows have
been reported in Australia with a brown cap like the Spanish (or is it Italian)
Sparrow, a race of the House Sparrow. I have never seen that.
Philip
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