Zonotrichia leucophrys

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Subsectio: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Infraclassis: Aves
Ordo: Passeriformes
Subordo: Passeri
Infraordo: Passerida
Superfamilia: Passeroidea

Familia: Passerellidae
Genus: Zonotrichia
Species: Zonotrichia leucophrys
Subspecies: Z. l. gambelii – Z. l. leucophrys – Z. l. nuttalli – Z. l. oriantha – Z. l. pugetensis
Name

Zonotrichia leucophrys (Forster, 1772)
Synonyms

Emberiza leucophrys (protonym)

References

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London 62: 403.

Vernacular names
brezhoneg: Brean kabell brizh
čeština: Strnadec bělokorunkatý
dansk: Hvidkronet Spurv
Deutsch: Dachsammer
English: White-crowned Sparrow
español: Chingolo Coroniblanco
eesti: Valgekiird-sidrik
suomi: Juovapääsirkku
føroyskt: Krúnuhvítur spurvur
français: Bruant à couronne blanche
magyar: Koronás verébsármány
íslenska: Kúftittlingur
italiano: Passero corona bianca
日本語: ミヤマシトド
한국어: 흰정수리북미참새
lietuvių: Baltakaktė zonotrichija
Nederlands: Witkruingors
norsk: Hvitkronespurv
polski: Pasówka białobrewa
português: Escrevedeira-de-testa-branca
русский: Белобровая овсянка
slovenčina: Strnádlik jazvečí
slovenščina: Vrabonad
svenska: Vitkronad sparv
Türkçe: Porsuk çintesi
українська: Білокоронний горобець
中文: 白冠带鹀

The white-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) is a species of passerine bird native to North America. A medium-sized member of the New World sparrow family, this species is marked by a grey face and black and white streaking on the upper head. It breeds in brushy areas in the taiga and tundra of the northernmost parts of the continent and in the Rocky Mountains and Pacific coast. While southerly populations in the Rocky Mountains and coast are largely resident, the breeding populations of the northerly part of its range are migratory and can be found as wintering or passage visitors through most of North America south to central Mexico.

Etymology

The scientific name is from Ancient Greek. The genus name Zonotrichia is from zone, "band", and thrix, trikhos, "hair", and the species name leucophrys is from leukos, "white", and ophrus, "eyebrow".[2]
Description

Adults have black and white stripes on their head, a gray face, brown streaked upper parts and a long tail. The wings are brown with bars and the underparts are gray. Their bill is pink or yellow. They are similar in appearance to the white-throated sparrow, but do not have the white throat markings or yellow lores.[3]

Measurements:[4]

Length: 5.9-6.3 in (15-16 cm)
Weight: 0.9-1.0 oz (25-28 g)
Wingspan: 8.3-9.4 in (21-24 cm)

Subspecies
In California, United States

There are five currently recognized subspecies of white-crowned sparrow (pugetensis, gambelii, nuttalli, oriantha, and leucophrys), varying in breeding distribution migratory route. Birds of the subspecies nutalli are permanent residents in California, while birds of the subspecies gambelli may migrate as far as the Arctic Circle during the summer breeding season. Northern birds migrate to the southern United States and northern Mexico.
Distribution

Their breeding habitat is brushy areas across northern Canada and the western United States.

The white-crowned sparrow is a very rare vagrant to western Europe.[5] It has been sighted in England, Scotland,[5][6] Ireland,[7] and Norway.[8] In 2008 a white-crowned sparrow was spotted in Cley next the Sea in Norfolk, England.[9] To commemorate the event an image of the bird was included in a window at St Margaret's Church.
Behaviour

These birds forage on the ground or in low vegetation, but sometimes make short flights to catch flying insects. They mainly eat seeds, other plant parts and insects. In winter, they often forage in flocks.[3]

White-crowned sparrows nest either low in bushes or on the ground under shrubs and lay three to five brown-marked gray or greenish-blue eggs.[3]

The white-crowned sparrow is known for its unihemispheric slow-wave sleep, which allows it to stay half-awake for up to two weeks during migration.[10] This effect has been studied for possible human alertness applications in shift work and truck driving.[11][12][13]

Recent studies by ornithologists including Elizabeth Derryberry have shown that white-crowned sparrow songs are affected by human activity and noise.[14]
Images

Adult

Immature White-crowned Sparrows have more muted plumage.

Subspecies nuttalli at Point Lobos State Reserve, California

Depiction of a white-crowned sparrow in window in St Margaret's Church, Cley next the Sea, Norfolk

References

BirdLife International (2012). "Zonotrichia leucophrys". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London, United Kingdom: Christopher Helm. pp. 224, 414. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
Chilton, G., M. C. Baker, C. D. Barrentine, and M. A. Cunningham. 1995. White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys). In The Birds of North America, No. 183 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.
"White-crowned Sparrow Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology". allaboutbirds.org. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
Broad, R. A.; Hawley, R. G. (1980). "White-crowned Sparrows: new to Britain and Ireland". British Birds. 73 (10): 466–470.
"Rare bird found in coastal garden". BBC News. 9 January 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
Hussey, Harry (2003). "The White-crowned Sparrow in County Cork". Birding World. 16 (5): 203–5.
"American mob-sparrow declares war on Norway". Archived from the original on 7 October 2009.
Unwin, Brian. "White-crowned Sparrow boosts local tourism". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 28 August 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
"It's Wake-Up Time". Wired Website. 1 November 2003. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
Rattenborg, Niels C.; Mandt, Bruce H.; Obermeyer, William H.; Winsauer, Peter J.; Huber, Reto; Wikelski, Martin; Benca, Ruth M. (13 July 2004). "Migratory Sleeplessness in the White-Crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii)". PLOS Biology. 2 (7): E212. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0020212. PMC 449897. PMID 15252455.
"Alaska sparrow migration mystery". Far North Science Website. 6 November 2007. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
"Circadian and Masking Control of Migratory Restlessness in Gambel's White-Crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii)". Journal of Biological Rhythms. 1 February 2008. Retrieved 28 July 2010.

Derryberry, Elizabeth P.; Phillips, Jennifer N.; Derryberry, Graham E.; Blum, Michael J.; Luther, David (30 October 2020). "Singing in a silent spring: Birds respond to a half-century soundscape reversion during the COVID-19 shutdown". Science. 370 (6516): 575–579. doi:10.1126/science.abd5777. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 32972991.