White Crowned Sparrow

A white crowned sparrow visits our garden

Yesterday I looked out the sliding glass door to check out the birds on the birdfeeder, something I do about 1,000 times a day, and spotted this handsome bird with what can only be described as racing stripes for feathers on the top of his head. (I say, “he” but really I do not know if it is a he or a she as both adults look the same!) This aptly named “white crowned sparrow” appears to be migrating north to his breeding grounds in Canada, and stopped by my garden for a little snack along the way. I learned that white crowned sparrows are mainly ground-feeders and can be found in areas with brushy habitat. Their song, a pretty little whistle is “one of the most-studied sounds in all of animal behavior” according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology; they actually have dialects corresponding to the region where they are found! An example can be heard HERE. I also learned that migrating white crowned sparrows have been tracked to 300 miles in a single evening. I’m glad my feeder was well stocked for my little visitor and wish him well on his journey!

Wasn’t he so kind as to tip his head so we can see the pretty feather patterns?