Species · GBIF taxon 2491872
Fox Sparrow
Passerella iliacaAlso known as Red Fox Sparrow, Sooty Fox Sparrow, Slate-colored Fox Sparrow, Thick-billed Fox Sparrow
Fox Sparrows are robust, heavily streaked songbirds famous for their energetic double-scratch foraging technique, kicking leaf litter backward with both feet to uncover hidden invertebrates. Their rich, whistling songs ring out from dense undergrowth during spring migration, bringing a sudden burst of melody to damp thickets and forest edges. While nesting in northern coniferous forests and mountain shrublands, they spend winters in brushy habitats across much of temperate North America.
SongbirdMigratoryGround-forager
- diet
- Insects, spiders, seeds, and wild berries
- family
- Passerellidae
- threats
- Habitat fragmentation, window collisions, and outdoor cat predation
- life Span
- Up to 9 years
LC
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- Listen for scratching: Scan dense leaf litter when you hear rhythmic rustling to spot them kicking up debris.
- Provide brush piles: Attract migrating birds to your yard by leaving fallen branches and leaf piles undisturbed.
- Offer ground feeders: Scatter millet and sunflower seeds near cover to encourage them to visit.