Today I’m sharing a lingering adult White-crowned Sparrow that I photographed from the deck three days ago. I’d been listening to it sing for several days.
Adult White-crowned Sparrow in spring – Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1/200, ISO 1000, +0.3 EV, Canon EF 100-400mm II at 400mm, natural light
This White-crowned Sparrow is an Eastern Taiga subspecies, Zonotrichia leucophrys nigrilora. They look most similar to the Interior West subspecies, Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha.
I used to photograph the Interior West subspecies in Utah, Idaho, and Montana when I lived out west.
White-crowned Sparrows appear over much of North America during their breeding and nonbreeding season. They can be found in open woods, open grasslands, gardens, mountains, forests, and backyards.
Very soon these White-crowned Sparrows will leave for their breeding grounds, if they haven’t already. I haven’t seen this sparrow in a day now, but we had storms roll through and I wasn’t outside as much as usual.
The sparrow had come into the seed feeder, and I took advantage of the opportunity to photograph him or her out in the open.
White-crowned Sparrows mainly eat seeds but during the summer they will eat caterpillars, wasps, beetles, and other insects.
Before long, this handsome sparrow with the black and white stripes on its crown will be raising their young.
They’ll return here in the fall and brighten up the winter when they visit the feeders and sing nearby.
Spring is such an awesome, birdy season!
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to view more of my White-crowned Sparrow photos plus facts and information about this species.
Wonderful shot! Balanced; beautiful colors and terrific detail…something I never get tired of. Thanks Mia.
What a beauty.