White-crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow, 1st winter

White-crowned Sparrow, 1st winter

We still have many types of sparrows migrating through here in southern NH. If we look closely among the flocks of Juncos and White-throated Sparrows, we can spot White-crowned Sparrows, which are less common here. They breed across the far northern part of this continent and into the West and winter across much of the southern half of the U.S., but not so much in the Southeast. This beautiful, young, 1st winter White-crowned Sparrow was at our feeders recently. We love the subtle shades of cinnamon and beige on its plumage. You might ask, "where's the white crown?" Well this is a young bird and it will molt into its adult plumage by next spring and breeding time. Then it will have a black-and-white striped crown, like an adult.

Photos © Lillian Stokes, 2007