Where’s Wildlife · Bird Field Guide
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
Pronounced (approx.): zoh-noh-TRIK-ee-uh LOO-koh-friss
A large, long-tailed sparrow often found feeding near brushy cover.
Three Identification Clues
Adults have bold black-and-white crown stripes; immature birds have brown-and-tan stripes.
A plain gray face and breast contrast with a streaked brown back.
The pale pinkish or yellowish bill and long tail help distinguish its shape.
Field Photographs
Showing 8 of 9 photographs.
Beyond the first impression
Plumage & Identification
Learn the shape before the crown
A relatively small bill, long tail, and full gray breast help identify birds whose crown stripes are still brown. The head can appear peaked or smoothly rounded as the bird changes posture. Two pale wingbars provide another supporting clue. [1]
Bill color varies geographically
Pacific coastal birds often have yellowish bills, while other populations may show pink or orange. The area between eye and bill can also be pale or dark. Compare several features and our White-throated Sparrow guide rather than treating one bill color as universal. [1]
Life history
How This Bird Lives
Where to look
Watch the boundary between open feeding ground and tangled brush. These sparrows often keep an escape route into cover nearby. Much of the United States sees them mainly during migration or winter, while some western populations remain year-round. [3]
Food & foraging
Grass and weed seeds dominate much of the menu, with insects becoming important in summer. Birds hop through low cover and sometimes scratch leaves backward with both feet. Fruit and grain supplement the diet when available. [2]
Ground nests and shrub nests
The female builds with grasses, twigs, moss, and other plant material, then adds a fine lining. Arctic birds usually nest on the ground; coastal birds often place the cup in a shrub. The surrounding vegetation influences the choice. [2]
Clutches contain 3–7 eggs. Incubation lasts about 10–14 days, with roughly 8–10 days in the nest. Young birds leave before becoming strong fliers, so please give fledglings and their cover space. [2]
Did you know?
A Closer Look at White-crowned Sparrows
A neighborhood accent
Young males learn songs from the surrounding song environment. Local dialects develop, and birds near a boundary between dialects may sing elements of both. [3]
Females can sing too
Most singing comes from males, but females sometimes sing during disputes over breeding space or winter food. Their songs tend to be quieter and more variable. [3]
Long journeys after sunset
One tracked migrant traveled about 300 miles in a night. A bird quietly feeding at a brushy edge may be resting between much longer flights than its daytime movements suggest. [3]
Sources: [1] Cornell · Identification [2] Cornell · Life history [3] Cornell · Species overview
Range & Sightings
Seasonal Range
View Range Map ↗Recorded Observations
Observation records are not a complete seasonal range map.
iNaturalist observation map ↗