Sparrows, Buntings

American Tree Sparrow, Spizella arborea

Family Emberizidae (Sparrows, Buntings)

Size: 6.25"

Season: Winter

Habitat: Open fields with brush or weedy areas

The American tree sparrow is a plump, large-headed, long-tailed winter visitor that breeds in Alaska and the northern latitudes of Canada. The sexes look alike, with a streaked rufous and black back, white wing bars, a pale-gray belly with rufous on the sides, and a single, central, dark spot on the breast. The head is mostly pale gray with a bright rufous crown and eye line, and a thick, stubby bill that is pale orange on the lower mandible and blackish on the upper mandible. American tree sparrows add a cheerful note to the cold New England winters with their musical, high-pitched chattering, as they hop along the ground feeding on grasses and seeds. They also readily visit suburban feeders. The adult is illustrated.