The White-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) is a species of passerine bird native to North America. The part of its scientific name translates from Ancient Greek as "White eyebrow".
Adults of this species have black and white stripes on their heads, a gray face, brown-streaked upperparts, and a long tail. The wings are brown with bars and the underparts are gray. Their bill is pink or yellow in color.
White-crowned sparrows occur across northern Canada and the western United States. Southerly populations in the Rocky Mountains and coast are largely resident but the breeding populations of the northerly part of their range are migratory and can be found as wintering or passage visitors through most of North America south to central Mexico. White-crowned sparrows inhabit brushy areas in the taiga, tundra, alpine meadows, and woodland edges. These birds can also be found in thickets, fields, gardens, and urban areas.
White-crowned sparrows are generally solitary, however, in winter, they often forage in flocks. These birds are active during the day. They forage on the ground or in low vegetation but sometimes make short flights to catch flying insects. If disturbed, they will quickly fly back to cover. White-crowned sparrows communicate a thin, high ‘tseet' or a sharp, alarmed 'chink' calls; their song consists of short series of whistles and trills.
White-crowned sparrows are herbivores (granivores) and carnivores (insectivores). They mainly eat seeds of weeds and grasses, as well as buds, flowers, berries, and small fruits. During summer they eat caterpillars, beetles, wasps, and sometimes spiders.
White-crowned sparrows are monogamous breeders that mate for life. They nest either low in bushes or on the ground under shrubs. The female builds a cup-shaped nest of sticks, grasses, pine needles, roots, and bark, and lines it with feathers and hair. She lays 3 to 5 brown-marked gray or greenish-blue eggs and incubates them for 11-14 days. The chicks are born blind and helpless. Both parents feed their young until they fledge and leave the nest in 8-10 days after hatching.
There are no major threats facing White-crowned sparrows at present.
According to Partners in Flight resource, the total population size of the White-crowned sparrow is 79,000,000 breeding individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.