Chipping Sparrow General Markings and Characteristics
Chipping Sparrows are very busy little birds. They rush around chipping away at most anything. They have a small, compact, fairly flat-head and a rather long, notched tail. Their legs are quite short. Mostly they will be in large flocks. It seems to be a protection for them. They like to usually feed in open ground areas. They really prefer open woodlands and forests where they can find wide open grassy clearings. Parks, roadside grasses and open yards are super for them. Their singing can be heard from high up in the evergreen trees. They love to show off their vocals.
With your binoculars take some time and look for general markings and characteristics, things that you notice right off. Do not spend a lot of time trying to memorize different aspects of the Chipping Sparrow. Just look for general information and then you will be able to quickly recognize what group these birds belong to by noticing size, general shape, colors and their behavior.
I suggest that you keep a note book of these characteristics. You can add to it from time to time. This will help you understand and learn. But be patient and note things only one at a time. Otherwise you may get tired and discouraged because you can