Passerella iliaca
The Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) is a robust and often strikingly marked New World sparrow, renowned for its rich, musical song and distinctive foraging behavior. Measuring 15-19 cm (6-7.5 in) in length with a wingspan of 27-30 cm (10.6-11.8 in) and weighing 26-39 g (0.9-1.4 oz), it is one of North America's largest sparrows. Its plumage varies dramatically across four main subspecies groups-Red, Slate-colored, Thick-billed, and Sooty-ranging from bright rufous streaking on a white breast ...
Breeds in dense thickets, open coniferous or mixed forests, and subalpine scrub, often near water. Winters in brushy areas, forest edges, and dense undergrowth at lower elevations.
Primarily omnivorous, consuming a mix of insects and seeds. Also eats berries, small fruits, and flower buds, foraging mainly by scratching through leaf litter.
Fox Sparrows are primarily diurnal, spending much of their day foraging on the ground. Their most distinctive behavior is the 'double-scratch' or 'kick-scratch' method, where they vigorously rake leaf litter and soil with both feet simultaneously, exposing insects and seeds. Males establish and d...
The Fox Sparrow boasts one of the largest breeding ranges among North American sparrows, extending across vast stretches of boreal forest, subalpine parkland, and montane chaparral. Breeding populations stretch from western Alaska, across much of Canada to Newfoundland, and south through the west...
Least Concern
- Fox Sparrows exhibit one of the most striking examples of geographic variation among North American birds, with four distinct subspecies groups differing vastly in color and morphology. - Their unique 'double-scratch' foraging method involves jumping forward and then back, kicking vigorously wi...