Photo: goingslo on Flickr / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Clay-colored Sparrow
Spizella pallida
Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) — 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 Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) is a member of the Passerellidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 11.2 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 pallida
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.2 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Clay-colored Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Clay-colored Sparrow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) is a species of bird in the Passerellidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans North America. Its distribution covers NA c Canada to nc USA.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.2 g, with a wing length of about 6.1 cm and a tail of around 5.7 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 3.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Clay-colored Sparrow?
The Clay-colored Sparrow is a very small bird that weighs around 11.2 g.
Where does the Clay-colored Sparrow live?
The Clay-colored Sparrow is found across North America with a range covering NA c Canada to nc USA, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Clay-colored Sparrow belong to?
The Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) belongs to the Passerellidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Clay-colored Sparrow eat?
The Clay-colored Sparrow is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Clay-colored Sparrow migrate?
The Clay-colored Sparrow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Clay-colored 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 Clay-colored Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the Clay-colored Sparrow — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Clay-colored Sparrow's range?
The Clay-colored Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 3.2 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
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