Bird guide · Zonotrichia leucophrys
White-crowned Sparrow
What the white-crowned sparrow eats, where it lives, when it comes to feeders and how to recognise it – with sightings from every US state.
- Season
- Migrant; some Pacific coast birds resident
- Size
- 6.1 in (15.5 cm)
- Eats
- seeds
- Feeds
- ground
- Most common
- Nevada, California, New Mexico
Food
What do white-crowned sparrows eat?
At feeders, white-crowned sparrows take seeds.
Winter flocks rummage on the ground near brushy thickets.
Feeder that suits it
A low tray or platform feeder, or seed scattered on the ground below your feeder.
Range
Where do white-crowned sparrows live?
Common in the West; uncommon migrant or winter bird in the East. By share of all bird sightings, white-crowned sparrows are most common in Nevada (2.1%).
States where white-crowned sparrows are most common
- Nevada2.1%
- California1.7%
- New Mexico1.7%
- Arizona1.4%
- Alaska1.4%
- Washington1.3%
- Utah1.3%
- Oregon1.2%
- Wyoming1.1%
- Idaho1.1%
Share of all bird sightings in each state that are white-crowned sparrows, 2019–2024.
Season
Does the white-crowned sparrow migrate?
Migrant; some Pacific coast birds resident. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in October.
Share of all bird sightings in the US that are white-crowned sparrows, by month.
Identification
How to identify the white-crowned sparrow
Adults: Bold black-and-white head stripes, pearly-grey breast and a pink, orange or yellow bill.
Size: 6.1 in (15.5 cm)
On camera
Getting the white-crowned 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
White-crowned Sparrow: questions
What do white-crowned sparrows eat?
At feeders, seeds.
Do white-crowned sparrows migrate?
Migrant; some Pacific coast birds resident. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in October.
Where do white-crowned sparrows live?
By share of all bird sightings, they are most common in Nevada, California, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska. They are rare or absent in Florida, Hawaii, South Carolina.
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