Photo: Wolfgang Wander / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) — 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 White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) is a member of the Passerellidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 28 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 leucophrys
Quick facts
- Weight
- 28 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Male vs female
Sexes look alike: adults have a bold black-and-white striped crown, a plain pale-gray face and breast, a pink (to orange-yellow) bill, and reddish-brown, dark-streaked upperparts with whitish wingbars.
Juvenile appearance
First-winter immatures are similar but have tan-and-rich-brown crown stripes instead of black-and-white; true juveniles are heavily streaked below with a mottled back.
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-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 White-crowned Sparrow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) is a species of bird in the Passerellidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across North America. Its distribution covers NA n.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 28 g, with a wing length of about 7.9 cm and a tail of around 7.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 7.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-crowned Sparrow?
The White-crowned Sparrow is a small bird that weighs around 28 g.
Where does the White-crowned Sparrow live?
The White-crowned Sparrow is found across North America with a range covering NA n, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the White-crowned Sparrow belong to?
The White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) belongs to the Passerellidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the White-crowned Sparrow eat?
The White-crowned Sparrow is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the White-crowned Sparrow migrate?
The White-crowned Sparrow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the White-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 White-crowned Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the White-crowned 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 White-crowned Sparrow's range?
The White-crowned Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 7.4 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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