Educate Yourself About the White-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
The White-crowned Sparrow has a puffy crown (resembles a crest when raised), striped with black and white, pink bill, large slender body with a long neck, gray breast, and a long tail. Its length is 6-7in (15-18cm) Its wingspan is 9in (23cm) Its voice is a variable song, often consisting of one or more clear plaintive whistles followed by some husky, trilled whistles. Their eggs are cream colored or pale green with brown spots and blotches, with 1 clutch consisting of 3-5 or (2-6) eggs. The female incubates for about 11-14 days, and fledging time is around 7-12 days. Both male and female feed their young. The female looks similar to the male, but for a less contrasting crown pattern. Young males have a brown-striped crown.
The White-crowned Sparrow can be found throughout North America, and winter flocks with as many as 50 birds or more will form large group territories. Then each bird will establish his or her own little foraging area, within this group. The western White-crowned Sparrow will sometimes live in mixed flocks with Golden-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia atricapilla), but will seldom mingle with other flocks near by, and they also have a tendency to always return to the same territories, or habitat year after year.
The White-crowned Sparrow will nest in northern coniferous forests and tundra regions far north. There are some populations that are non-migratory, and pairs within those populations will usually stay together for life, and become regulars in one area year after year. But they are mostly recognized as migrating birds.
If you watch carefully at your bird feeding stations, a clear pattern of dominance will emerge. You will notice that the older more experienced birds, (identified by the black crown stripes), will feed next to shrubs and tall grass, to be more protected against predators, such as the Cooper’s Hawk or the Sharp-shinned Hawk. The male witch is some what larger then the female, will be dominant over her and the younger birds, and over the food supply.
Witch native sparrows you will find in your bird feeding garden will first depend on what part of the country you live in, and second what kind of habitat you provide for them. Here are some sparrows from different part of the country: The Grasshopper, Savannah, and the Vesper sparrows like a meadow garden, weedy fields, or patches of prairie wildflowers and grasses in just about any area.
For the Lark, Three, and White-crowned Sparrows, west of the Mississippi, plant a hedgerow along the field. Change a grassy field into Sagebrush, and you will find the Brewer’s Sparrow a great home. The Fox Sparrow will spend fall and winter in southern bird feeding gardens, but will move north of the Mason-Dixon Line come spring.
If you like to attract the White-crowned Sparrow, or other sparrows, plant fruit producing bushes, such as elderberries, blackberries, and blueberries, also create an area of uncut lawn and high weeds, to provide shelter and winter food. You can also plant a shrubby fencerow for winter shelter, and scatter cracked corn and millet seeds (witch are their favorite) under the shrubs.
Fill your hanging bird feeders and bird tables with millet seeds and cracked corn, but for the Chipping Sparrows, toss the seeds on the ground. If you can, provide horse hair during the nesting season. Always remember to keep the cats out and away from your lovely bird feeding garden, and provide fresh water and clean birdbaths as well.
