Credit: David
North American field guide
Harris' Sparrow
Chondestes grammacus
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Identification
Field notes
19 cm (7-8") Fairly common. Breeds in central Canada at timberline in stunted boreal forests; winters south central United States in brush, open woods, hedgerows.
One of our largest sparrows - size of Fox Sparrow.
White belly.
Breeding: gray cheeks, black crown and throat encircles a pink bill.
In winter: cheeks are buffy, black crown is scaled and throat may show white flecks or a white band.
Song: clear whistles on the same pitch; loud "wink" call.
Details in the field
Photo gallery
Credit: Gregg Lee
Credit: Blake Maybank
Credit: Amy Evenstad
Credit: Norm Townsend
Credit: Tom Smith
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Videos
Harris's Sparrow
Credit: MacaulayLibraryBird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants · 2 rules
These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.
Harris' Sparrow
1 ruleRule 1 15 criteria · confidence 3
- What SIZE was the TAIL ?
- Medium · Long · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
- Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
- What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?
- None · Unknown
- What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?
- Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
- What colour was the BELLY ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
- What colour was the BREAST ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the THROAT ?
- Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the BILL ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the BILL ?
- Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
- What LENGTH was the BILL ?
- Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
- What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
- Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- How BIG was the bird ?
- Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
- What TYPE of bird was seen ?
- Sparrow-like
- WHEN was the bird seen ?
- Spring · Summer · Fall
- What type of environment was the bird seen in?
- Thickets or shrubs · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat
Harris' Sparrow (Nonbreeding or Immature)
1 ruleRule 1 14 criteria · confidence 3
- What SIZE was the TAIL ?
- Medium · Long · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
- Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
- What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?
- None · Unknown
- What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?
- Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
- What colour was the BELLY ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
- What colour was the BREAST ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the THROAT ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the BILL ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the BILL ?
- Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
- What LENGTH was the BILL ?
- Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
- What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
- Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- How BIG was the bird ?
- Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
- What TYPE of bird was seen ?
- Sparrow-like
- What type of environment was the bird seen in?
- Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland