Family New World Sparrows (Passerellidae)
Least Concern
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
Taxonomy
French: Bruant à couronne blanche German: Dachsammer Spanish: Chingolo coroniblanco
Taxonomy:
Emberiza leucophrys
J. R. Forster
, 1772,Severn River, west shore of Hudson Bay, Canada
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Subspecies and Distribution
Z. l. gambelii
(Nuttall, 1840) – Alaska and W Canada (E to Nunavut and N Manitoba, S to S British Columbia, SW Alberta and N Saskatchewan; non-breeding quarters in S British Columbia and W USA (E to NE Kansas, S to California) and Mexico (S to Nayarit, Aguascalientes and San Luis Potosí).
Z. l. leucophrys
(J. R. Forster, 1772) – C & E Canada from N Manitoba and N Ontario E through N & NC Quebec to N Labrador and N Newfoundland; winters in S & SE USA (S from Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky and North Carolina) and N Mexico (S to Sonora).
Z. l. pugetensis
Grinnell, 1928 – extreme SW Canada (SW British Columbia) S along US coast to NW California; non-breeding S to SW California.
Z. l. nuttalli
Ridgway, 1899 – coastal & C California (from Mendocino County S to Santa Barbara County).
Z. l. oriantha
Oberholser, 1932 – mountains of SW Canada (SE British Columbia, S Alberta and extreme SW Saskatchewan) and W USA (N Idaho S through SC Oregon to C & E California and SC Nevada, E to Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, CE Arizona and N New Mexico); non-breeding SW USA (S California and S Arizona E to C Texas) and Mexico (S to S Baja California, Jalisco, Michoacán, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí and Nuevo León).
Descriptive notes
14·0–17·0 cm; 21·0–38·5 g. A fairly large, long-tailed sparrow. Nominate race has broad white median crownstripe extending from back... read more
Voice
Song variable, with many regional dialects, but distinctive, characteristically consists of 2 (1... read more
Habitat
In N parts of range breeds at tree-line in dwarf spruce–birch (Picea–... read more
Food and feeding
Diet during breeding season primarily arthropods, including larval Lepidoptera, beetles (Coleoptera) and bugs (Hemiptera). In winter eats... read more
Breeding
Season varies geographically, breeds mid-Jun through Jul in C Canada (Manitoba and Ontario), and in USA begins late Apr to early May in... read more
Movements
N and montane populations entirely migratory; S coastal nuttalli sedentary, while more N... read more
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Often common or very common in appropriate habitat. Logging often benefits this species, as it thrives in young second growth on... read more
Perhaps most closely related to Z. atricapilla, with which it hybridizes; hybrids with Z. albicollis and Melospiza melodia also recorded. Coastal races pugetensis and nuttalli are somewhat divergent morphologically, vocally, in breeding habitat, and in migration distance; however, song of race oriantha is rather close to these two, and deeper analysis of characters separating or uniting these taxa is needed. In Canada, race gambelii intergrades with oriantha in SE British Columbia and with nominate in N Manitoba. Proposed race aphaea (described from Idaho, presumably on migration) included in nominate. Five subspecies currently recognized.