{"id":38227,"date":"2016-04-13T06:19:35","date_gmt":"2016-04-13T12:19:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=38227"},"modified":"2025-07-26T17:39:19","modified_gmt":"2025-07-26T22:39:19","slug":"molting-immature-white-crowned-sparrows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/04\/13\/molting-immature-white-crowned-sparrows\/","title":{"rendered":"Molting Immature White-crowned Sparrows"},"content":{"rendered":"

April in northern Utah is a good time to see and photograph molting immature White-crowned Sparrows.<\/p>\n

\"MoltingMolting immature White-crowned Sparrow side view – Nikon D810, f8, 1\/2000, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

This image shows a side view of an immature White-crowned Sparrow photographed on Antelope Island State Park<\/span><\/a> six days ago. To the untrained eye it might look like any other immature White-crowned Sparrow but there are subtle differences between it and an immature White-crowned Sparrow in its first winter.<\/p>\n

\"JuvenileJuvenile White-crowned Sparrow first winter – Nikon D810, f11, 1\/400, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

This is a side view of an immature White-crowned Sparrow during its first winter, it was also photographed on Antelope Island State Park while perched on a rabbitbrush in January.<\/p>\n

\"PortraitPortrait showing molt in an immature White-crowned Sparrow – Nikon D810, f8, 1\/2000, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

This portrait was taken six days ago on Antelope Island State Park and I have pointed out some of the changes that are happening because this immature White-crowned is going through molt. The stripe above the eye is molting from a pale buff color to white, the brown feathers of the crown and the stripe behind the eye (postocular) are molting to black and the buffy cheeks are molting to feathers that are more gray that buff.<\/p>\n

\"ImmatureImmature White-crowned Sparrow First Winter close up \u2013 Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I’ve posted this first winter immature White-crowned Sparrow close up<\/a><\/span> image before that was taken at the end of November of 2015 but I wanted to add it so it can be compared to the portrait of the molting sparrow above.<\/p>\n

\"White-crownedWhite-crowned Sparrow immature showing molting feathers \u2013 Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 320, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The images above that show the immature White-crowned Sparrows in molt didn’t show the crown well and since their crown is what gives White-crowned Sparrows their name I wanted to include an image taken last week that showed the crown molting to white feathers.<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult White-crowned Sparrow feeding on the ground in February \u2013 Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I don’t think this post would be complete without being able to compare the immature White-crowned Sparrows to the adults. This adult White-crowned was photographed the end of February on the island as it fed on the ground.<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult White-crowned Sparrow in April \u2013 Nikon D810, f8, 1\/2000, ISO 320, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

This adult was photographed on the same day as the molting immature White-crowned Sparrows were and in the same location. Some of its feathers look a bit worn to my eye and the adults may go through molt now too.<\/p>\n

I didn’t use the language of experts in the field like Peter Pyle because I am not an expert. I’m just a bird photographer who notices many things while having a great time following my passion. That said I believe these individuals are going through what is called Prealternate I molt partial which involves head, chin, wing-coverts along with some body feathers.<\/p>\n

Being able to observe and photograph these sparrows and other birds growing and changing through the seasons is what I consider a wonderful and educational gift. One that I truly appreciate.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

* <\/em>The images where I have included lines and text can be seen in my White-crowned Sparrow gallery<\/span><\/a> without the markings<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

April in northern Utah is a good time to see and photograph molting immature White-crowned Sparrows. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":150989,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[511,27,1022,26,356],"tags":[4004,5082,4142,5080,11978,4067,2312,2313,4046,4195,5081,4327,4256],"class_list":["post-38227","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-utah","category-white-crowned-sparrows","tag-adult","tag-cheeks","tag-close-up","tag-crown","tag-desert-island","tag-immature","tag-molt","tag-molting","tag-portrait","tag-sparrows","tag-stripe","tag-white-crowned-sparrow","tag-zonotrichia-leucophrys"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/white-crowned-sparrow-molt-side-view-mia-mcpherson-4488.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-9Wz","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":174188,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2026\/04\/06\/immature-white-crowned-sparrow-molting-in-oklahoma\/","url_meta":{"origin":38227,"position":0},"title":"Immature White-crowned Sparrow Molting In Oklahoma","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 6, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning I had this immature White-crowned Sparrow in my viewfinder at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge long enough to realize she or he was molting.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature White-crowned Sparrow molting in Oklahoma, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/white-crowned-sparrow-immature-molting-mia-mcpherson-3010.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/white-crowned-sparrow-immature-molting-mia-mcpherson-3010.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/white-crowned-sparrow-winter-low-light-tree-mia-mcpherson-2965.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/white-crowned-sparrow-winter-low-light-tree-mia-mcpherson-2965.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/white-crowned-sparrow-winter-low-light-tree-mia-mcpherson-2965.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/white-crowned-sparrow-winter-low-light-tree-mia-mcpherson-2965.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":33866,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/12\/03\/immature-white-crowned-sparrow-close-up\/","url_meta":{"origin":38227,"position":3},"title":"Immature White-crowned Sparrow Close Up","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 3, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Getting close up images of wild birds is always a thrill for me and having this immature White-crowned Sparrow come in close enough for portrait was a pleasure on the last day of November.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature White-crowned Sparrow close up, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/white-crowned-sparrow-juvenile-portrait-mia-mcpherson-3591.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/white-crowned-sparrow-juvenile-portrait-mia-mcpherson-3591.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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