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White-crowned Sparrow Photos

Photography by Terry Sohl

My Favorite: When I travel to certain parts of the western US, it seems like White-crowned Sparrows are...everywhere. We've traveled to Arizona a few times in winter and it seems like they're awfully common. There was a work conference scheduled every year in the first half of December in San Francisco, and if I got out to the coast and walked around, there they were downright abundant. Given all the birds I've seen in the western US, many of the photos below come from California or Arizona. However, we also get them in South Dakota in both the spring and the fall, although it seems I see them more in the fall. We also get a few that try to overwinter in southern South Dakota at times, and I have a few photos of them below as well.

My "favorite" photo of the species is of one of those West Coast birds. The place I like to walk in San Francisco is around the "Land's End" area along the coast. There's the old "Sutro Baths" area right on the coast, an old (abandoned) bathing establishment from the early 1900s that also has trails nearby. It's been a great little birding spot, both to see coastal species, as well as some upland species on the trails. The area is just absolutely thick with White-crowned Sparrows in early December, including this guy from December 9th, 2011.

White-crowned Sparrow - Zonotrichia leucophrys

White-crowned Sparrow 1 - Zonotrichia leucophrys

White-crowned Sparrow 2 - Zonotrichia leucophrys

White-crowned Sparrow 3 - Zonotrichia leucophrys

White-crowned Sparrow 4 - Zonotrichia leucophrys

White-crowned Sparrow 1 

White-crowned Sparrow 2 

White-crowned Sparrow 3 

White-crowned Sparrow 4 

October 10th, 2011

October 8th, 2008 

February 10th, 2007 

April 19th, 2007 

Fort Pierre National Grasslands, South Dakota

Minnehaha County, South Dakota

Palisades State Park, South Dakota 

Point Reyes State Park, California 

Profile of a bird foraging on the ground

Bird in early morning sun in fall foliage 

First-year bird hanging out on a dead branch 

Sparrow foraging on the ground in the mulch 

White-crowned Sparrow 5 - Zonotrichia leucophrys

White-crowned Sparrow 6 - Zonotrichia leucophrys

White-crowned Sparrow 7 - Zonotrichia leucophrys

White-crowned Sparrow 8 - Zonotrichia leucophrys

White-crowned Sparrow 5 

White-crowned Sparrow 6

White-crowned Sparrow 7 

White-crowned Sparrow 8 

October 10th, 2011 

January 14th, 2007

October 8th, 2008  

October 8th, 2008 

Fort Pierre National Grasslands, South Dakota 

Palisades State Park, South Dakota  

Minnehaha County, South Dakota 

Minnehaha County, South Dakota  

Bird strutting its stuff on the open prairie 

Juvenile sparrow foraging in the snow 

Juvenile bird posing in the autumn foliage

Adult sparrow in a brushy thicket 

White-crowned Sparrow 9 - Zonotrichia leucophrys

White-crowned Sparrow 10 - Zonotrichia leucophrys

White-crowned Sparrow 11 - Zonotrichia leucophrys

White-crowned Sparrow 12 - Zonotrichia leucophrys

White-crowned Sparrow 9 

White-crowned Sparrow 10 

White-crowned Sparrow 11 

White-crowned Sparrow 12 

October 8th, 2008  

October 8th, 2008   

December 18th, 2008 

December 18th, 2008  

Minnehaha County, South Dakota  

Minnehaha County, South Dakota   

Coast near San Francisco, California

Coast near San Francisco, California 

Juvenile bird hanging out in a dense bush 

Young bird posing in a dense bush

Juvenile bird scratching in the ground for grub 

Adult sparrow foraging on the ground 

White-crowned Sparrow 13 - Zonotrichia leucophrys 

White-crowned Sparrow 14 - Zonotrichia leucophrys 

White-crowned Sparrow 15 - Zonotrichia leucophrys 

White-crowned Sparrow 16 - Zonotrichia leucophrys 

White-crowned Sparrow 13 

White-crowned Sparrow 14 

White-crowned Sparrow 15 

White-crowned Sparrow 16 

December 10th, 2010 

December 9th, 2010 

December 9th, 2010 

December 9th, 2011 

Near Saguaro National Park, Arizona 

Near Chandler, Arizona 

Near Chandler, Arizona  

Coast near San Francisco, California 

Sparrow getting a bit of a drink on a wet stone 

Adult sparrow foraging in a locust tree 

Juvenile bird expressing its displeasure at the cameraman 

Sparrow foraging in coastal scrub 

White-crowned Sparrow 17 - Zonotrichia leucophrys 

White-crowned Sparrow 18 - Zonotrichia leucophrys 

White-crowned Sparrow 19 - Zonotrichia leucophrys 

White-crowned Sparrow 20 - Zonotrichia leucophrys 

White-crowned Sparrow 17 

White-crowned Sparrow 18 

White-crowned Sparrow 19 

White-crowned Sparrow 20

December 9th, 2011  

December 9th, 2011   

December 9th, 2011 

December 9th, 2011  

Coast near San Francisco, California  

Coast near San Francisco, California 

Coast near San Francisco, California 

Coast near San Francisco, California  

First-year sparrow foraging in coastal scrub 

Adult bird posing on a bare branch in the sunshine 

Adult bird calling from shrubbery

Immature bird hanging out in coastal shrubbery 

White-crowned Sparrow 21 - Zonotrichia leucophrys 

White-crowned Sparrow 22 - Zonotrichia leucophrys 

White-crowned Sparrow 23 - Zonotrichia leucophrys 

 

White-crowned Sparrow 21

White-crowned Sparrow 22

White-crowned Sparrow 23

 

December 9th, 2011  

December 9th, 2011  

October 12th, 2020 

 

Coast near San Francisco, California  

Coast near San Francisco, California  

Minnehaha County, South Dakota 

 

Profile of an adult bird posting in the sun 

Profile of adult bird in great lighting 

Adult bird perched on a tree branch

 

Click here for the species description page for the White-crowned Sparrow.

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Please mail any comments/suggestions/additional links for this page to: Terry L. Sohl