White-crowned Sparrow

The White-crowed Sparrow is a frequent backyard visitor to our yard in Aldea. Although their numbers seem to be a bit lower this winter, they are showing up on occasion. They seem to enjoy perching in one of the Honey Locust trees out back, but I have not observed if they are dining on the suet baskets, seed cylinders, or other feeders in the yard. They do like the fresh water we put our every day, but it is not always a draw in the colder months.

White-crowned Sparrows are easy to spot with their highly-graphic black and white crown and pink-orange beak. They have a small white patch under their beaks. The rest of the bird is gray and brown that successfully blends in with the ground and dried grasses, especially in winter. The back and upper wings have interesting striping. 

White-crowned Sparrows do a characteristic hop-scratch on the ground as they search for insects, seeds, and berries. They have a very distinctive call more noticeable in the warmer months. The White-crowned Sparrow is one of the best-studied songbirds in North America. Much of our knowledge of bird song and development is based on studies of this species.

The name “sparrow” comes from the Old English “spearw,” meaning “a flutterer”. Sparrows have between 1,359 to 3,352 feathers depending on the season. And that is not counting the downy underfeathers. This fact is from a 1935 research report by Alexander Wetmore I found in “100 Birds and How They Got Their Names”.

A group of sparrows is known as a “crew”, “flutter”, “meinie”, “quarrel” and “ubiquity” of sparrows. These collective nouns are the same for juncos.

Three views of a White-crowned Sparrow perching in a Honey Locust tree in winter. Click on photos to enlarge.