Harris's Sparrow

Zonotrichia querula

Order PASSERIFORMES - Family EMBERIZIDAE

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1. Cool Facts
2. Description
3. Similar Species
4. Sound
5. Range
6. Habitat
7. Food
8. Behavior
9. Reproduction
10. Conservation Status
11. Other Names

The striking Harris's Sparrow is rarely found far east or west of the middle of North America. It breeds along the edge of boreal forest and tundra in north-central Canada, and spends the winter in the very central region of the United States.

Cool Facts

• Because of its remote and restricted breeding grounds, the Harris's Sparrow was one of the last North American species to have its nest discovered. The first nest was found in 1931 at Churchill, Manitoba, by soon-to-be Cornellian George M. Sutton.

• The Harris's Sparrow is the only bird species that breeds in Canada and nowhere else in the world.

• In winter flocks, Harris's Sparrows maintain linear dominance hierarchies that determine access to food and roost sites. The most dominant birds are the oldest males, and they also have the largest bibs. If first winter birds have their feathers dyed black, creating an artificially large bib, they rise in the dominance hierarchy.

Description

• Size: 17-20 cm (7-8 in)
• Wingspan: 27 cm (11 in)
• Weight: 26-49 g (0.92-1.73 ounces)

• Large sparrow, small songbird.
• Black bib, forehead, crown, and nape.
• Bill pink.
• Underparts white with some streaks along sides.
• Back brown with black streaks.
• Two white wingbars.
• Tail long (for a sparrow).

• Bib extent varies greatly.
• Tail grayish brown, outer feathers tipped with white.
• Legs pale brown.
• Eyes very dark brown.

Breeding (Alternate) Plumage: Face gray. Black hood covering nape, crown, lores, throat, and center of chest. Black ear spot.
Winter (Basic) Plumage: Face brown. Ear spot dark brown. Extent of black bib variable. Brown obscures some black on crown and nape. May have some white in throat.

Sex Differences

Sexes similar in plumage, males average blacker on throat in fall and winter.

Immature

Immature similar to dullest winter adult, with throat mainly white and little black on face or crown.

Similar Species

• House Sparrow male has black bib, but has a black or yellowish bill (depending on the season), a short tail, rufous on the wings and back, and lacks any stripes on chest.
• Winter Lapland Longspur similar to immature, but longspur has much shorter tail, rich rufous on the wings, and white outer tail feathers.

Sound

Song one to three pure notes on one pitch; rarely given off breeding grounds. Call note a loud "tchip."

»listen to songs of this species

Range

Summer Range

Breeds in central portion of very northern Canada.

Winter Range

Winters in central United States, from South Dakota to southern Texas, and from eastern Colorado to western Missouri.

Habitat

Breeds at edge of boreal forest and tundra. Winters along hedgerows, shelterbelts, agricultural fields, weed patches, and pastures.

Food

Seeds, fruits, arthropods, and young conifer needles.

Behavior

Foraging

Feeds primarily on ground. Picks food from ground, and scratches some in litter with both feet. Comes to feeders.

Reproduction

Nest Type

Nest an open cup of mosses, small twigs, and lichens, lined with dried grass and often some caribou hair. Placed on ground, sunken into moss and lichens.

Egg Description

Pale green with irregular spots and blotches.

Clutch Size

Usually 4-5 eggs. Range: 3-5.

Condition at Hatching

Helpless with sparse gray down.

Conservation Status

Because of remote nesting area and preference for disturbed areas on wintering grounds, the Harris's Sparrow is unlikely to be negatively affected by human activities. Christmas Bird Count numbers appear stable.

Other Names

Bruant à face noire (French)

Sources used to construct this page:

Norment, C. J., and S. A. Shackleton. 1993. Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula). In The Birds of North America, No. 64 (A. Poole, and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.