Harris's Sparrow

Overview

Harris's Sparrow: Large sparrow with dark-streaked, brown upperparts and white underparts with dark-streaked sides. Head has stark black crown, face, and throat. Gray cheek patch is marked by a thin, black line. Bill is pink. Alternates rapid wing beats with brief periods of wings pulled to sides.

Range and Habitat

Harris's Sparrow: Breeds in the mixed forest-tundra zones of north-central Canada, from the extreme northwestern reaches of the Northwest Territories to northern Ontario, along the shores of Hudson Bay. Spends winters in central U.S., from South Dakota to south Texas.

INTERESTING FACTS

The Harris’s sparrow is Canada's only endemic breeder.
The common name of this species commemorates the American amateur ornithologist Edward Harris.
A group of Harris's Sparrows are collectively known as a "poll" of sparrows.

The Harris's Sparrow has a large range, estimated globally at 1,700,000 square kilometers. Native to Canada and the United States, this bird prefers shrubland, and grassland ecosystems, though it has been known to reside in rural gardens. The global population of this bird is estimated at 3,700,000 individuals and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. For this reason, the current evaluation status of Harris's Sparrow is Least Concern.