Bird
Chipping Sparrow
Spizella passerinaAlso known as Chippy, Hairbird
Chipping sparrows are recognizable by their bright chestnut crown, black eye-line, and crisp grey underparts. These energetic songbirds spend warmer months foraging on lawns, open pine woods, and grassy glades, picking tiny seeds from the ground or plucking caterpillars from twigs. Their rapid, mechanical trill is a ubiquitous sound across North America each spring.
SongbirdMigratoryCommon
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyGrass Seeds, Caterpillars, Beetles
Predators
- Domestic Cat
- Sharp-shinned Hawk
- Eastern Screech-Owl
ThreatsWindow collisions, domestic cats, and nest parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds
HabitatsOpen pine woodlands, suburban parks, orchards, grassy glades, and gardens
Life span4–9 years
Classification
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyPasserellidae
- GenusSpizella
- SpeciesSpizella passerina
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Feeders: Offer millet or sunflower chips scattered on low platform feeders near bushes.
- Listening: Listen for their dry, rapid staccato trill delivered from high pine perches.
- Suburbs: Watch short grass lawns in spring where small flocks forage together on fallen seeds.
Similar Species (c) Shanthanu Bhardwaj, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Nest Parasite (c) cello caruso-turiello, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by cello caruso-turiello · cc-by
Close Relative no rights reserved, uploaded by Chrissy McClarren and Andy Reago · cc0
Close Relative (c) Helen J, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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Backyard Birds
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