White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
Large, long-tailed sparrow with striking head pattern. Adults have black and white stripes on the head, while immatures show brown and tan. Underparts are plain grayish without streaks. Bill color varies from yellow to pink, but always brighter than White-throated Sparrow. Breeds in brushy areas or thickets in open forest, often with conifers. In migration and winter, can be found in any brushy or weedy areas, often hopping on the ground. Visits feeders.
Identification
Adults have black and white stripes on their head, a gray face, brown streaked upper parts and a long tail. The wings are brown with bars and the underparts are gray. Their bill is pink or yellow. They are similar in appearance to the white-throated sparrow, but do not have the white throat markings or yellow lores.<p>Measurements:
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Zonotrichia leucophrys
- Authority
- (Forster, JR, 1772)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Genus
- Zonotrichia
Range and habitat
Their breeding habitat is brushy areas across northern Canada and the western United States.<p>The white-crowned sparrow is a very rare vagrant to western Europe. It has been sighted in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Norway. In 2008 a white-crowned sparrow was spotted in Cley next the Sea in Norfolk, England. To commemorate the event an image of the bird was included in a window at St Margaret's Church.
- Breeding range
- NA : n
- Non-breeding range
- to c Mexico
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
These birds forage on the ground or in low vegetation, but sometimes make short flights to catch flying insects. They mainly eat seeds, other plant parts and insects. In winter, they often forage in flocks.<p>White-crowned sparrows nest either low in bushes or on the ground under shrubs and lay three to five brown-marked gray or greenish-blue eggs.<p>The white-crowned sparrow is known for its unihemispheric slow-wave sleep, which allows it to stay half-awake for up to two weeks during migration. This effect has been studied for possible human alertness applications in shift work and truck driving.<p>Recent studies by ornithologists including Elizabeth Derryberry have shown that white-crowned sparrow songs are affected by human activity and noise.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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A small fruit-dove of drier lowland forest. Pale pink or whitish forehead with a yellow stripe behind going over the top of the head, from eye to eye. Green breast and yellow-orange belly separated by a pink patch. Feeds on fruit at all levels in the trees. No other small fruit doves have the combination of pale forehead with green chest. Call, a series of long “wooo” notes, first rising then falling.
Gabon Coucal
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A large, reddish-bellied forest coucal of Central African forests, occasionally found in more open and disturbed habitats. Most often detected by its call, which is a long or short series of hollow loud hoots, the last few usually lower, sometimes given as a duet. Overlaps locally with Black-throated Coucal, which has a black throat and a cream-colored belly.
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