Large grayish sparrow with a long tail and often peaked head shape. Bill is small and orange to yellow or pinkish. Adults have very bold white and black stripes on the head.
Large sparrow with a fairly small bill. Immatures have rusty brown stripes on gray head. Individuals in eastern North America typically have orange to pinkish bills.
During migration and winter often found along edges of woodlots, hedgerows, thickets, weedy fields, suburbs, backyards, and city parks. Note the bold black-white-head stripes and yellow bill.
Large sparrow often with a peaked head shape. Immatures have similar head pattern to adults, but stripes are brown and gray instead of black and white.
Large grayish sparrow with a long tail. Often holds crown feathers in a short peak. Adults have bold white and black stripes on the head. Note the gray throat.
Large sparrow with relatively small bill. Bold head pattern of black and white stripes. Individuals in western North America usually have yellowish bills and extensive brown on the flanks.
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The White-crowned Sparrow is a large sparrow with a small bill and a long tail. The head can look distinctly peaked or smooth and flat, depending on the bird’s attitude.
Slightly larger than a Song Sparrow
sparrow-sized or smallerWhite-crowned Sparrows that breed along the Pacific Coast tend to have yellow bills and duller white head stripes. Birds that breed from Alaska to Hudson Bay tend to have orange bills and white or gray lores. Birds that breed east of Hudson Bay and in the Rockies tend to have pink bills with black lores that merge with the black head stripes.
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