Zonotrichia leucophrys
pale-lored adult
The White-crowned Sparrow is a distinctive songbird. The sexes are similar. Adults have a dark-streaked brown back and reddish-brown wings with two white wingbars. The tail and rump are gray-brown. The head pattern comprises a black eye stripe, and a black crown with a broad white central stripe. In eastern and Rocky Mountain birds, the bill is pink, the lores are black, and there is a white supercilium behind the eye; the underparts are otherwise mostly gray and palest on the belly. In otherwise similar western and northwestern birds, the lores are gray and the white supercilium is complete. The bill is orange in western birds but yellow in northwestern individuals. Juveniles recall their respective regional adults but are heavily streaked; by their first winter, their plumage is closer to that of an adult but black elements of the head markings are brown.
The White-crowned Sparrow is present as a breeding species across Arctic North America and in western mountain ranges. Birds migrate south in fall, and the winter range extends across southern U.S.A. and into Mexico. The species forms flocks outside the breeding season.
dark-lored adult
FACT FILE
LENGTH 7 in (18 cm)
FOOD Mainly seeds, with invertebrates in spring and summer
HABITAT Taiga woodland in summer; wide range of wooded habitats in winter
STATUS Widespread and common, both in summer and winter
VOICE Song comprises a couple of shrill whistles followed by several squeaky chirps. Call is a sharp pink
