Sparrows are not the flashiest birds out there, but they are a fairly large category. There are many types of sparrows and most have similar sizes, colors, and feather patterns that make them hard to tell apart and leave bird watchers reaching for their guidebooks. In fact they are often called “LBB” or little brown birds. In this article we will take a look at 17 of the most common species of sparrows in North America.
What is a sparrow?
Sparrows are members of the passerine family of birds, commonly referred to as “songbirds” or “perching birds”. Sparrows are relatively small in size. Some do eat insects but they are mainly seed-eaters, and their cone-shaped bills make them experts at husking seeds. They tend to be brown or gray in color with streaking along their backs and wings. Often the best way to tell them apart is by the color patterns on their head and face.
Sparrows can be found in many different habitats such as swamps, grasslands, forests, pastures and everything in-between. There are over 40 species of sparrows that live in North America. Some are quite abundant while others can only be found in very specific regions. Let’s look at the more common sparrows that you would most likely run into to on a hike, at the park, on the beach or in your own backyard.
Types of Sparrows
1. Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
Song sparrows are gray and brown with bold warm brown streaks. They are very common across the United States and Canada. So common, that they have developed a lot of regional differences in their coloration, size and song. During spring and summer the males will perch on exposed branches and sing to attract mates and defend territory. And they sing a lot! Males and females search for places to nest together, and prefer to build hidden in tall grasses and weeds. Song sparrows will visit bird feeders and aren’t too afraid of nesting near humans.
2. Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)
Field sparrows have a buffy gray body with brown and white striping on the wing, a pink beak, a brown cap and brown spot behind the eye. These little sparrows are found in the eastern half of the U.S. in grasslands, prairies and fields, the more overgrown the better. Unfortunately their numbers have declined in many areas as these open fields have become suburbs, where they will not nest.