Brewer's Sparrow

Photo by Michael W
Granada Park, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Spizella breweri

Includes: Timberline Sparrow

Identification

Adult

• Grey-brown streaked back
• Brown streaked crown
• Pale eye-ring
• Pale wing bars
• Pale grey underparts
• Pale bill with a dark tip
• Long notched tail

Similar Species

Clay-colored Sparrow: which has a pale stripe on the crown and a grey neck patch

Distribution

United States, Canada and Central America:
Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Yukon
United States: New England, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Massachusetts, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
Central America: Mexico, Baja California

Taxonomy

Subspecies^[1]

• S. b. breweri:

• British Columbia and Alberta to south-western US; winters to Baja California and central Mexico

• S. b. taverneri: (Timberline)

• South-western Yukon and north-western British Columbia to south-eastern British Columbia and south-western Alberta

Subspecies taverneri is sometimes considered a separate species Timberline Sparrow^[2]

Habitat

Sagebrush, deserts and weedy fields.

Behaviour

They flock with other sparrow species in the winter.

Diet

Ground foragers, the diet consists of insects and seeds.

Breeding

The clutch consists of 3 to 5 eggs which are laid in a cup nest in low shrubs.

Vocalisation

Song is a long varied mix of notes and trills.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Avibase
3. Wikipedia
4. BF Member observations
5. Birdforum thread about taxonomy of Timberline Sparrow

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Brewer's Sparrow. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 19 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Brewer%27s_Sparrow

External Links

Search for photos of Brewer's Sparrow in the gallery