Photo: Mdf, Edited by Fir0002 / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Chipping Sparrow
Spizella passerina
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) is a member of the Passerellidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 12.2 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Passerellidae New World Sparrows
- Genus Spizella
- Species passerina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12.2 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Male vs female
Sexes look alike: breeding birds have a bright rufous (chestnut) crown, a crisp white eyebrow, a black eyeline, a clean gray face, breast, and rump, and a brown-and-black-streaked back.
Juvenile appearance
Juveniles are prominently streaked below and have a streaky brown crown and a dusky eyebrow, but retain the diagnostic dark eyeline, unlike the clean-breasted adult.
Breeding vs non-breeding
Yes: non-breeding/winter birds are duller, with the crown becoming streaky/subdued brown, the eyebrow buffy rather than clean white, the eyeline less sharp, and the bill pinkish (vs. blackish in breeding season).
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Chipping Sparrow is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Chipping Sparrow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) belongs to the Passerellidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA widespread.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.2 g, with a wing length of about 6.8 cm and a tail of around 5.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 13.1 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Chipping Sparrow?
The Chipping Sparrow is a very small bird that weighs around 12.2 g.
Where does the Chipping Sparrow live?
The Chipping Sparrow is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA widespread, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Chipping Sparrow belong to?
The Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) belongs to the Passerellidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Chipping Sparrow eat?
The Chipping Sparrow is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Chipping Sparrow migrate?
The Chipping Sparrow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Chipping Sparrow endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Chipping Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the Chipping Sparrow — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Chipping Sparrow's range?
The Chipping Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 13.1 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
How to Attract Chipping Sparrow to Your Yard
The honest, data-backed way to attract Chipping Sparrow to your yard — the feeders and food they actually use (hulled sunflower), nesting help, and habitat that brings them in.