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Breeds in [[Alaska]] and western [[Canada]] across central Canada to [[Newfoundland]] and in the west ranges south to [[California]] and [[Colorado]].<br /> | Breeds in [[Alaska]] and western [[Canada]] across central Canada to [[Newfoundland]] and in the west ranges south to [[California]] and [[Colorado]].<br /> | ||
Winters mainly in the eastern half of the [[USA]].<br /> | Winters mainly in the eastern half of the [[USA]].<br /> | ||
| + | Fairly common in suitable habitat. | ||
| + | |||
In the Western Palearctic recorded in [[Iceland]] (1), [[Ireland]] (Copeland Islands, Co Down, June 1961), [[Germany]] (May 1949, April 1977) and a 1936 record from north-west [[Italy]].<br /> | In the Western Palearctic recorded in [[Iceland]] (1), [[Ireland]] (Copeland Islands, Co Down, June 1961), [[Germany]] (May 1949, April 1977) and a 1936 record from north-west [[Italy]].<br /> | ||
| − | + | ==Taxonomy== | |
[[Image:IMG 0117t.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Sooty Fox Sparrow<br />Photo by {{user|eastwood|eastwood}}<br />Vancouver, [[Canada]], January 2010]] | [[Image:IMG 0117t.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Sooty Fox Sparrow<br />Photo by {{user|eastwood|eastwood}}<br />Vancouver, [[Canada]], January 2010]] | ||
| − | |||
====Subspecies==== | ====Subspecies==== | ||
Up to 19 subspecies recognized which are divided in four groups (all of them sometimes recognized as full species): | Up to 19 subspecies recognized which are divided in four groups (all of them sometimes recognized as full species): | ||
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====Breeding==== | ====Breeding==== | ||
Breeding season from early April to July. Single-brooded and apparently [[Dictionary_M-S#M|monogamous]].<br /> | Breeding season from early April to July. Single-brooded and apparently [[Dictionary_M-S#M|monogamous]].<br /> | ||
| − | The nest is made of dry grass, twigs, moss or bark. It's placed low abov the ground in a bush or a tree. Lays 2 to 4 eggs, usually 3. Rarely parasitized by [[Brown-headed Cowbird]]. | + | The nest is made of dry grass, twigs, moss or bark. It's placed low abov the ground in a bush or a tree. Lays 2 to 4 eggs, usually 3. |
| + | |||
| + | Rarely parasitized by [[Brown-headed Cowbird]]. | ||
====Movements==== | ====Movements==== | ||
A migratory species. | A migratory species. | ||
Revision as of 20:43, 23 February 2014
- Passerella iliaca
Identification
Thick-billed Fox Sparrow
Photo by digishooter
Kern River, Lake Isabella, Kern Co., California, USA, May 2012
Photo by digishooter
Kern River, Lake Isabella, Kern Co., California, USA, May 2012
15 - 18.5cm. A large American sparrow with four rather distinctive groups:
Sooty Fox Sparrow
- Uniform brownish plumage with densely spotted breast
- Slightly shorter-winged and longer-tailed than Red Fox Sparrow
- Dark flanks and undertail-coverts
- Subspecies breeding south are darkest, those breeding farthes north and west are palest
Thick-billed Fox Sparrow
- Plain grey back, slightly redder wings and tail
- Faint or no wing-bars
- Strikingly large bill
- Smaller blackish spots on breast than other groups
Slate-colored Fox Sparrow
- Plumage like Thick-billed but heavier spotting on underparts and no massive bill
Red Fox Sparrow
- The most brightly marked group
- Crown and auriculars patterned rufous on grey
- Upperparts distinctly streaked rufous and grey
- Rufous tail
- Whitish tertial edges
- Distinctive whitish wing-bars
- Well defined rufous spots on breast, black streaks on flanks
Distribution
Breeds in Alaska and western Canada across central Canada to Newfoundland and in the west ranges south to California and Colorado.
Winters mainly in the eastern half of the USA.
Fairly common in suitable habitat.
In the Western Palearctic recorded in Iceland (1), Ireland (Copeland Islands, Co Down, June 1961), Germany (May 1949, April 1977) and a 1936 record from north-west Italy.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Up to 19 subspecies recognized which are divided in four groups (all of them sometimes recognized as full species):
- Sooty Fox Sparrow - unalaschcensis group
- P. i. unalaschcensis breeds on eastern Aleutian Islands to the Alaska Peninsula, winters to southern California
- P. i. insularis on the Kodiak Island group in Alaska, winters to southern California
- P. i. sinuosa on the Kenai Peninsula and Prince William Sound, winters to northwest Baja de California, Mexico
- P. i. annectens in the Yakutat Bay region, Alaska, winters to southern California
- P. i. townsendi from Glacier Bay to Queen Charlotte Islands, Alaska, winters to central California
- P. i. chicatensis in Alaska
- P. i. fuliginosa in coastal southeast Alaska to northwest Washington, winters to southern California
- Thick-billed Fox Sparrow - megarhyncha group
- P. i. fulva in Oregon east of Cascade Mountains to northeast California, winters to northern Baja de California, Mexico
- P. i. megarhyncha from the mountains of southwest Oregon to central California, winters to northwest Baja de California, Mexico
- P. i. brevicauda in inner and northern coast ranges of California, winters to southern California
- P. i. stephensi in the Sierra Nevada and the high mountains of southern California, winters at lower elevations
- P. i. monoensis in the Mono Lake area of east-central California and adjacent Nevada, winters to northwest Baja de California, Mexico
- Slate-colored Fox Sparrow - schistacea group
- P. i. altivagans in the mountains of British Columbia and southwest Alberta, winters to northwest Baja de California, Mexico
- P. i. olivacea from the mountains of southwest British Columbia to central and eastern Washington, winters to northern Baja de California, Mexico
- P. i. schistacea from southwest British Columbia and southwest Alberta to northern Nevada, winters to western Texas
- P. i. swarthi in the mountains of northwest Utah and southeast Idaho
- P. i. canescens in the mountains of Inyo County, California and adjacent Nevada, winters to northern Baja de California, Mexico
- Red Fox Sparrow
Habitat
Hedgerows, streamsides and woodland edges with dense vegetation.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds mainly on insects during breeding season. In winter feeds on fruits, seeds and buds.
Forages low in vegetation or on the ground.
Breeding
Breeding season from early April to July. Single-brooded and apparently monogamous.
The nest is made of dry grass, twigs, moss or bark. It's placed low abov the ground in a bush or a tree. Lays 2 to 4 eggs, usually 3.
Rarely parasitized by Brown-headed Cowbird.
Movements
A migratory species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2011. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 16: Tanagers to New World Blackbirds. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553781
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Fox Sparrow. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 25 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Fox_Sparrow
External Links
