Photo: Alejandro Erickson / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia atricapilla
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) is a member of the Passerellidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 32 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 Zonotrichia
- Species atricapilla
Quick facts
- Weight
- 32 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Golden-crowned Sparrow is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Golden-crowned Sparrow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) is a species of bird in the Passerellidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across North America. Its distribution covers NA w Alaska to sw Canada.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 32 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 7.6 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 1.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Golden-crowned Sparrow?
The Golden-crowned Sparrow is a small bird that weighs around 32 g.
Where does the Golden-crowned Sparrow live?
The Golden-crowned Sparrow is found across North America with a range covering NA w Alaska to sw Canada, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Golden-crowned Sparrow belong to?
The Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) belongs to the Passerellidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Golden-crowned Sparrow eat?
The Golden-crowned Sparrow is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Golden-crowned Sparrow migrate?
The Golden-crowned Sparrow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Golden-crowned 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 Golden-crowned Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the Golden-crowned Sparrow — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Golden-crowned Sparrow's range?
The Golden-crowned Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 1.7 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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