White-crowned Sparrow Stops by Visitor Center Feeders

A striking White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) was spotted foraging around the Visitor Center Feeders!

Like most sparrows, the white-crowned sparrow is a ground feeder and forager. Their namesake black and white hat is considered distinctly ‘peaked’ compared to the rounder head of other sparrows. The body plumage is gray with brown-streaked wings and they have a small orange or pink bill. Their songs have a classic sparrow tone and start off confidently but gradually lose volume as if they were interrupted in a conversation where no one is listening. Their close cousin, the white-throated sparrow, wears the same hat but sports a round white beard which discerns it clearly from the white-crowned sparrow. Both can be seen foraging on the forest floors along the Hawk Mountain trails, or up close at the Visitor Center Feeders.

Photo by Bill Moses.