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American Tree Sparrow

Spizella arboreaOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Sparrows (Emberizidae)

American Tree Sparrow Breeding Male Portrait
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American Tree Sparrow Variations

American Tree Sparrow
Juvenile
American Tree Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Winter
American Tree Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Breeding Male
American Tree Sparrow

General

American Tree Sparrow: Medium-sized, gray-brown sparrow with black and rufous-brown streaks on back and wings. Crown, eyestripes, and flanks are rufous-brown, contrasting with gray face. Breast is pale gray with dark central spot and rufous-brown sides. Upper mandible is dark gray and lower mandible is yellow. Sexes are similar. Winter adult is duller. Juvenile shows less rufous-brown and has a messy, streaked appearance on head and breast.

Range and Habitat

American Tree Sparrow: More common in the western U.S. Preferred habitat includes moist deciduous woodlands and willow thickets along streams.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"tweedle-eet, tweedle-eet"

Interesting Facts

 Despite their name, female American Tree Sparrows build their nests on the ground.

 When the ground is covered with snow, they will beat tall weeds with their wings and then eat the seeds that have fallen on the snow.

 One study shows that they watch for predators out of their left eyes.

 A group of American Tree Sparrows are collectively known as a "grove" of sparrows.



Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for American Tree Sparrow
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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