7.0 inches long. The White-crowned Sparrow is a large sparrow with a pinkish-orange conical bill and a long tail. The back is tan with dark streaks. The rump is an unstreaked pale brown-gray. The face and underparts are gray. There is a broad white eyebrow and a dark line behind the eyes. The wings are brown with two white wing bars. There are black and white stripes on the crown. Immature birds are similar to the adult but the stripes on the crown are brown and gray.
The White-crowned Sparrow is an uncommon migrant through the area. It may be seen from mid April through mid May and again in September and October.
The White-crowned Sparrow winters in flocks in weedy or brushy patches, sometimes in company with the White-Throated Sparrow. It hops on the ground while foraging and sometimes scratches the ground to find seeds. Some populations are year-round residents, others are short-distance migrants, and still others migrate thousands of kilometers. The song is a melancholy “poor-wet-wetter-che-zee”.
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