American tree sparrow

American tree sparrow

Winter sparrow

Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Spizelloides arborea

The American tree sparrow (Spizelloides arborea ), also known as the winter sparrow, is a medium-sized New World sparrow.

It had been classified under the genus Spizella, but multilocus molecular evidence suggested placement in its own genus.

Appearance

Measurements:

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  • Length: 5.5 in (14 cm)
  • Weight: 0.5-1.0 oz (13-28 g)
  • Wingspan: 9.4 in (24 cm)

Adults have a rusty cap and grey underparts with a small dark spot on the breast. They have a rusty back with lighter stripes, brown wings with white bars and a slim tail. Their face is grey with a rusty line through the eye. Their flanks are splashed with light brown. They are similar in appearance to the chipping sparrow. Due to this, they are sometimes also called the winter chippy.

Their breeding habitat is tundra or the northern limits of the boreal forest in Alaska and northern Canada. They nest on the ground.

These birds migrate into southern Canada and the United States to spend the winter. Usually, chipping sparrows are moving south around the same time as these birds arrive.

These birds forage on the ground or in low bushes, often in flocks when not nesting. They mainly eat seeds and insects, but also eat some berries. They are commonly seen near feeders with dark-eyed juncos.

This bird's song is a sweet high warble descending in pitch and becoming buzzy near the finish.

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Distribution

Geography

Continents
Biogeographical realms
American tree sparrow habitat map
American tree sparrow habitat map
American tree sparrow
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Habits and Lifestyle

Lifestyle
Seasonal behavior
Bird's call

Diet and Nutrition

Population

Coloring Pages

References

1. American tree sparrow Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_tree_sparrow
2. American tree sparrow on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22721159/132143453
3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/703278

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