Chipping Sparrow

Overview

Chipping Sparrow: Medium, slender sparrow with black-streaked brown back and pale gray underparts. Cap is rufous, nape is gray, throat is white, and face stripes are black-and-white. Black bill. Pink-orange legs and feet. Short flight, alternates several rapid wing beats with wings pulled to sides.

Range and Habitat

Chipping Sparrow: Breeds throughout most of the continent from Yukon, Manitoba, and Newfoundland south to California, Texas, northern Florida, and Mexico. Spends winters across southern U.S. southward into Mexico. Preferred habitats include grassy woodland edges, gardens, city parks, brushy pastures, and lawns.

INTERESTING FACTS

During the breeding season, the female develops a bare patch on her abdomen that fills with fluid.
This allows more efficient transfer of heat to the eggs.
The head pattern of the Chipping Sparrow changes in fall and winter. Their nest is so flimsy that light can be seen through it.
A group of Chipping Sparrows are collectively known as a "tournament" of sparrows.

The Chipping Sparrow is rated as Least Concern. This bird has a range of up to 13 million square kilometers. The population of the Chipping Sparrow is estimated to be nearing 1 billion individual birds. This bird is native to Canada as well as Mexico and portions of Central America. Due to the extremely large population of the Chipping Sparrow there is not any immediate concern that this bird would face danger regarding decimation of its population.