Bird
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrysWhite-crowned Sparrows are famed for their distinct regional song dialects, which young males learn from adult neighbors within their first two months of life. These striking songbirds forage on the ground using a characteristic double-scratch hopping technique to uncover seeds and hidden insects beneath leaf litter. During non-breeding months, they assemble into cohesive wintering flocks that defend shared feeding territories in brushy thickets and suburban yards.
SongbirdMigratoryGranivore
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyWeed Seeds, Beetles, Caterpillars
Predators
- Domestic Cats
- Cooper's Hawks
- Sharp-shinned Hawks
ThreatsDomestic cats, window collisions, habitat fragmentation
HabitatsBrushy thickets, tundra, mountain meadows, suburban gardens
Life span3–10 years
Classification
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyPasserellidae
- GenusZonotrichia
- SpeciesZonotrichia leucophrys
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
- Feeding: Scatter mixed birdseed on the ground near dense shrubs where they feel secure.
- Listening: Listen for their whistle-and-trill song, which varies distinctly by region.
- Observation: Watch low ground cover for their signature two-footed backward scratch in leaf litter.
Frequent Companion (c) Daniel Levitis, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Daniel Levitis · cc-by
Predator "Cooper's Hawk - immature" by Kaaren Perry is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Kevin Krebs, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) James M. Maley, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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Backyard Birds
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