Sparrows & juncos
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
A large, boldly striped sparrow of winter. It prefers ground feeding and low cover, and will take millet and sunflower from a low tray.
- Food to offer
- Millet & corn
- Sunflower
- Feeder that suits it
- Ground or low platform
- Size
- Small
- When to expect it
- Autumn to spring (winter in the west and south)
- Region
- West and south
Photos of White-crowned Sparrow
4 imagesFeeding White-crowned Sparrow at a glance
For someone putting out food for the first time.
What to put out
- Millet
- Black-oil sunflower
- Mixed seed
Best feeder and placement
Ground or low platform.
How it behaves at the feeder
A large, bold winter sparrow that feeds on the ground and in low cover.
How to recognise it
Bold black-and-white head stripes with a plain grey breast and a pinkish bill.
Often confused with
White-throated Sparrow — White-throated has a white throat and yellow lores; White-crowned has striped crown and no throat patch.
One thing to watch
Ground feeding is the method; a hanging feeder will mostly be ignored.
The striped crown
Bold black and white stripes run along the crown, with a plain grey breast and a pinkish bill. There is no streaking on the underparts, which separates it from Song and White-throated Sparrows.
Young birds have brown and buff head stripes rather than black and white, which is a common source of confusion in autumn.
A western and southern winter bird
In much of the west and south this is a winter visitor, feeding on the ground in low cover. It is a large, bold sparrow and often feeds in the open more than other sparrows.
Millet and sunflower on the ground or a low tray are the standard offers.
Common questions
Why are some duller?
Young birds have brown and buff head stripes. They acquire the black-and-white pattern later.
What should I put out?
Millet and sunflower on the ground or a low tray.
How is it different from a White-throated Sparrow?
White-crowned has black-and-white crown stripes and no white throat. White-throated has a white throat and yellow lores.