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Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)

James C. Leupold, USFWS

Length: 6-7.5 in.
Habitat: scrubby trees of sub-Arctic and mountain slopes; forest undergrowth; thickets, farmlands, parks (migration, winter).

The husky Fox Sparrow scratches vigorously for seeds, small fruits, and insects among fallen leaves, jumping forward and back with both feet and spraying litter in all directions. Its summer food is mostly insects and other animals. Its voice is as distinctive as its appearance. The fox Sparrow is a relatively large species. It is brown, red-brown, or gray above and streaked below with a large central spot.

The song is a series of rich, often slurred whistles run together in a short "sentence." Indeed, the general impression is that of a conversation.