Golden-crowned Sparrow

Golden-crowned Sparrows are large, handsome songbirds of the West Coast, easily recognized in spring by the striking gold stripe bordered by black on their crowns. During the winter, they form loose, social flocks with other sparrows, foraging on the ground for seeds and berries in brushy backyard habitats and coastal scrub. Their melancholy, three-note whistled song is a classic sound of the Pacific Northwest winter, often described as sounding like a sad, descending sigh.