Eurasian Tree Sparrow

The Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Scientific Name - Passer montanus) is a small sparrow that closely resembles the larger House Sparrow.  They have mostly light brown upper parts and light breast with no streaking. The wings are mostly brown with some black spots and distinct white bars. They have a thick dark bill and distinct black ear patches and a black patch on the chin and throat. They range from Europe to South East Asia but are rare in the Middle East and Indian sub continent. They were introduced to the USA in the Missouri area and have not spread far from that area in North America. The American Tree Sparrow looks similar however has a rust coloured line extending back from the eye and no black ear patch or throat. Photos taken in Da-an Forest Park, Taipei, Taiwan in August 2015.

White-crowned Sparrow

The White-crowned Sparrow (Scientific name - Zonotrichia leucophrys) is a large sparrow with a distinctive head that is found throughout North America from Alaska to the Gulf of Mexico. They are mainly brown with white wing bars and a distinctive black and white striped head. They are often seen hopping on the ground or on low branches. Photos taken (top to bottom) at the Great Blue Heron Wildlife Reserve in Chilliwack, B.C. in April 2014; Whistler, B.C. in September 2013; Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan in May 2015; and Yellowstone National Park in May 2013. 

Juvenile

          

Harris's Sparrow

The Harris's Sparrow (Scientific Name - Zonotrichia querula) is a large sparrow with a striking head. It can be found in the central part of North America as far north as the Northwest Territories of Canada and as far south as southern Texas. It is rarely found in the eastern or western parts of the continent. It has a distinctive head with a black bib, forehead and crown. Photos taken in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan in May 2015.      

          

White-throated Sparrow

The White-throated Sparrow (Scientific Name - Zonotrichia albicollis) is a large sparrow found throughout the eastern and midwestern North America.  It ranges as far north as the Northwest Territories of Canada and as far south as Mexico. They are rare on the west coast but can be found in California. They have a fairly distinctive head with a white throat and black and white head with a yellow stripe between the eye and prominent bill. Photos taken in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan in May 2015.

       

Vesper Sparrow

The Vesper Sparrow (Scientific name: Pooecetes gramineus) is a medium sized sparrow that is found mainly in grasslands across the north central U.S. and Canada. They summer as far north as the north of Alberta and Saskatchewan and occasionally into the territories. They are mostly greyish brown with a streaked chest and back. They have a noticeable white eyeing.  Photo was taken in September 2014 at Crescent Beach, Surrey, B.C.

Savannah Sparrow

The Savannah Sparrow (Scientific name - Passerculus sandwichensis) is a medium sized sparrow found throughout North America, as far north as Alaska and as far south as Honduras. It can also be found in Cuba, the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands. These sparrows prefer open areas such as grasslands, marshes and farmlands. They are identifiable by the yellow patch between eye and bill. Photos were taken in April 2014 in the Glen Valley area of Langley, B.C. (Top) and at Brydon Nature Lagoon, Langley, B.C. in May 2014.

Fox Sparrow

The Fox Sparrow (Scientific name - Passerella iliaca) is a fairly large sparrow that likes to forage on the ground for its food. This bird is found throughout North America from Alaska in the North and as far South as Baja California. The Fox Sparrow is mostly rusty brown with a rust and grey head. The breast is heavily marked with distinctive rufous chevrons.  The photos were taken in March 2014 at the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Delta, B.C. (Top) and in April 2014 at the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve in Chilliwack, B.C.

Golden-crowned Sparrow

The Golden-crowned Sparrow (Scientific name - Zonotrichia atricapilla) is a ground foraging sparrow found along the Pacific Coast of North America from Alaska and as far South as Baja California.  It is distinguished by it's yellow crown which becomes more predominate in breeding males. 

Photos taken in January 2014 at Elgin Heritage Park, Surrey, B.C.

House Sparrow

The House Sparrow (Scientific name - Passer domesticus) was first introduced to North America in Brooklyn, New York in 1850 and today is found in most of North America. It is also found in Central America, South America and the West Indies. They are native to Europe and Asia but have been introduced to many parts of the world. It differs from the other 'sparrows' in that it comes from the Eurasian weaver-finch family. They have a fuller chest and more rounded head and shorter tail than most other 'sparrows'.  They are a common bird and are found often in developed and urban areas.

 They have a grey head, white cheeks and a black throat. The black throat patch is much more predominate in breeding males (as in the third photo). Back and wings are striped with buff, black and brown. 

Top photo taken in Whistler, B.C. in October 2013. The other photos were taken on the island of Maui in Hawaii in November 2012.

Female

Song Sparrow

The Song Sparrow (Scientific name - Melospiza melodia)  is a common sparrow found throughout much of North America from as far North as Southern Alaska and South to Mexico. They are often seen on the ground and in low vegetation. 

The Song Sparrow is a medium sized sparrow and is mostly brown and grey. It has bold streaking on its white chest and a reddish brown cap and a brown streak through its eye.

Top two photos taken in Abbotsford, B.C. in October 2013 and the bottom photo was taken at the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary in March 2013. The photo second from the bottom was taken at Piper Spit, Burnaby Lake, Burnaby, B.C. in May 2015.

Java Sparrow

The Java Sparrow (Scientific name - Lonchura oryzivora) is native to Indonesia. It has however been introduced to Sri Lanka, Puerto Rico and Hawaii.  It is also sometimes known as the Java Finch, Java Rice Sparrow and Java Rice Bird.

The Java Sparrow has a grey back and chest, with a pink or buff belly and black tail feathers. It has some white under it's tail. Legs are pink. The head is black with white cheek patches and the eyes have a red eye ring. The bill is thick and reddish with some white.

Photos were taken in Maui, Hawaii in November 2012.

Spotted Towhee

Another regular visitor to our backyard in Abbotsford, B.C. is the Spotted Towhee (scientific name is Pipilo maculates).

These sparrow type birds can frequently be seen on the ground around bushes in the yard. They have a black head and back, rufous coloured sides and a white belly. Eyes in adults are red.

The three top pictures were all taken in August 2012 in my backyard. The top two pictures are of an adult, while the bottom picture is of a juvenile.  The picture below was taken in VanDusen Botanical Gardens in Vancouver in May 2011. The Spotted Towhee is found in the Western part of North America. In Canada they are found from Southern British Columbia across to Southern Saskatchewan. They winter in the Southwest of the USA and Mexico.