General

American Tree Sparrow: Medium-sized, gray-brown sparrow with black and rufous-brown streaks on back and wings. Crown, eyestripes, and flanks are rufous-brown, contrasting with gray face. Breast is pale gray with dark central spot and rufous-brown sides. Upper mandible is dark gray and lower mandible is yellow. Sexes are similar. Winter adult is duller. Juvenile shows less rufous-brown and has a messy, streaked appearance on head and breast.

Range and Habitat

American Tree Sparrow: More common in the western U.S. Preferred habitat includes moist deciduous woodlands and willow thickets along streams.

Breeding and Nesting

American Tree Sparrow: Three to seven light blue or green eggs with brown spots and flecks are laid in a nest made of stems, bark pieces, moss, and grass, with lining of feathers, fur, and hair. Nest is normally built atop a clump of grass or moss, rarely low in a shrub or tree, 1 to 5 feet above the ground. Incubation ranges from 12 to 13 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

American Tree Sparrow: Eats mostly seeds during winter; also eats insects, berries, and small flowers in the summer; scratches on the ground, foliage, or snow when foraging.

Readily Eats

Sunflower Seed

Vocalization

American Tree Sparrow: Song is a series of clear introductory notes followed by a variably trilled melody. Call is "tweedle-eet, tweedle-eet."

Similar Species

American Tree Sparrow: Field Sparrow is smaller, has pink bill, and lacks central breast spot.