Quantcast

American Tree Sparrow

Spizella arboreaOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Sparrows (Emberizidae)
American Tree Sparrow Breeding Male Head Illustration

Head

  • Bill Shape: Cone
  • Eye Color: Dark brown.
  • Head Pattern: Eyeline, Capped, Striped, Malar or malar stripe
  • Crown Color: Red-brown
  • Forehead Color: Red-brown
  • Nape Color: Gray
  • Throat Color: Gray
  • Cere color: No Data
American Tree Sparrow: Breeding Male

Body

  • Length Range: 16 cm (6.25 in)
  • Weight: 20 g (0.7 oz)
  • Size: Size 2. Small (5 - 9 in)
  • Color: White, Gray, Yellow
  • Underparts: Gray with red-brown patches on sides and black spot on central breast.
  • Upperparts: Gray with red-brown, black and brown streaking.
  • Back Pattern: Striped or streaked
  • Belly Pattern: Solid
  • Breast Pattern: No Data
American Tree Sparrow Breeding Male Flight Illustration

Flight

  • Flight Pattern: Short flights with series of rapid wing beats alternating with wings pulled to sides.
  • Wingspan Range: 25 cm (9.75 in)
  • Wing Shape: Rounded-Wings
  • Tail Shape: Notched Tail
  • Tail Pattern: Solid
  • Upper Tail: Black
  • Under Tail: Black with white trim on outer edges.
  • Leg Color: Gray
.
Bird database and its related content, illustrations and media is Copyright © 2002 - 2007  Whatbird.com
All rights reserved. No part of this web site may be reproduced without written permission from Mitch Waite Group.
 Privacy Policy.
Percevia® Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family Buntings, Finches, Sparrows (Emberizidae)_blue
Species Spizella arborea
Length6.25 Inches
Wingspan9.75 Inches

American Tree Sparrow

American Tree Sparrow: Medium, gray-brown sparrow, black and rufous-brown streaks on back, wings. Crown, eyestripes, flanks are rufous-brown, contrasting with gray face. Pale gray breast with dark central spot, rufous-brown sides. Upper mandible is dark gray, lower mandible is yellow.

● Song: "tweedle-eet, tweedle-eet"

● Foraging & Feeding: American Tree Sparrow: Eats mostly seeds during winter; also eats insects, berries, and small flowers in the summer; scratches on the ground, foliage, or snow when foraging.

● Breeding & nesting: American Tree Sparrow: Three to seven light blue or green eggs with brown spots and flecks are laid in a nest made of stems, bark pieces, moss, and grass, with lining of feathers, fur, and hair. Nest is normally built atop a clump of grass or moss, rarely low in a shrub or tree, 1 to 5 feet above the ground. Incubation ranges from 12 to 13 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: American Tree Sparrow: Field Sparrow is smaller, has pink bill, and lacks central breast spot.

Flight Pattern

Short flights with series of rapid wing beats alternating with wings pulled to sides.
American Tree Sparrow: Breeding Male
● Range & Habitat: American Tree Sparrow: More common in the western U.S. Preferred habitat includes moist deciduous woodlands and willow thickets along streams.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
PopulationFairly common
MigrationMigratory
Weight0.7 Ounces