![]() By April Fox Sparrows leave this part of the country to go back north to their breeding areas. However, some individuals occasionally stray westward and provide birders in Western Washington with a noteworthy observation. The Fox Sparrow is one of those winter visitors to yards and gardens who may go un-noticed amongst the more common Song Sparrows and other ground feeding. It is a winter visitor to Washington and is most often seen east of the Cascade Range. ![]() Millet is a food of particular interest to them. The American Tree Sparrow is always a treat to see. Look for Fox Sparrows to appear on the ground below feeders during wintery, snowy weather. It is a very distinguishable hopping forward and back motion. Behaviorally it feeds similarly to the Eastern Towhee scratching with both feet on the ground while foraging. Click on the picture above to hear their song and read more. Its song is described by Peterson’s Field Guide as brilliant and musical a varied arrangement of short clear notes and sliding whistles. The rusty brown combined with gray around the neck gives it its foxy look. It is recognized for its heavily streaked rusty colored breast, and a rufous, or orange-brown tail, which is more noticeable in flight. The Fox Sparrow is a large sparrow measuring up to about 7”, which is just a little smaller than a Northern Cardinal. I got several good looks at Fox Sparrows as they darted from cover to cover feeding on native plant seeds. Last weekend I was birding at Hidden Lakes State Park on McCrory Ln and really had fun looking for sparrows in the lower meadow area along the Harpeth River. This week we’re going to focus on the Fox Sparrow. This time of year we see with regularity Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, and Juncos are included in the family, too. Fox sparrows commonly breed in coniferous or mixed forests, which have dense undergrowth and shrub. Many are considered rare, to uncommon, to seasonal, with few as year round residents. The Annotated Checklist of Birds of Tennessee recognizes 26 species of sparrows, 10 of which breed here. Yes, they have many similarities but upon closer inspection you can see just how beautiful and varied they are. Sparrows, though, are a pretty diverse group. ![]() All sparrows seem to be lumped into the same vague description of “little brown birds that mostly stay on the ground”. Sparrows are a family of birds that the backyard birder tends to overlook. ![]()
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