Bird guide · Zonotrichia querula
Harris's Sparrow
What the Harris's sparrow eats, where it lives, when it comes to feeders and how to recognise it – with sightings from every US state.
- Season
- Migrant
- Size
- 7.3 in (18.5 cm)
- Eats
- seeds
- Feeds
- ground
- Most common
- Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska
Food
What do Harris's sparrows eat?
At feeders, Harris's sparrows take seeds.
Flocks feed on the ground near brush, flying up to the tops of thickets when disturbed.
Feeder that suits it
A low tray or platform feeder, or seed scattered on the ground below your feeder.
Range
Where do Harris's sparrows live?
Nests in north-central Canada; winters mainly on the southern Great Plains. By share of all bird sightings, Harris's sparrows are most common in Kansas (0.8%).
States where Harris's sparrows are most common
- Kansas0.8%
- Oklahoma0.6%
- Nebraska0.5%
- North Dakota0.2%
- South Dakota0.2%
- Iowa0.2%
- Missouri0.07%
- Minnesota0.07%
- Texas0.07%
- Colorado0.03%
Share of all bird sightings in each state that are Harris's sparrows, 2019–2024.
Season
When can you see the Harris's sparrow?
Migrant. Across the US, it is mainly reported from September to May, most often in January.
Share of all bird sightings in the US that are Harris's sparrows, by month.
Identification
How to identify the Harris's sparrow
Adults: Large sparrow with a black face on a buff or grey head, pink bill and bright white belly.
Young birds: Lacks black throat.
Size: 7.3 in (18.5 cm)
On camera
Getting the Harris's sparrow on a feeder camera
Most visits happen on the ground or on low trays. A camera feeder with a wide tray, placed low near cover, catches far more than a hanging tube.
Questions
Harris's Sparrow: questions
What do Harris's sparrows eat?
At feeders, seeds.
Do Harris's sparrows migrate?
Migrant. Across the US, it is mainly reported from September to May, most often in January.
Where do Harris's sparrows live?
By share of all bird sightings, they are most common in Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota. They are rare or absent in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut.
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