# Golden-crowned Sparrow (*Zonotrichia atricapilla*) The Golden-crowned Sparrow is a small bird with a bright yellow crown on its head. It loves to sing cheerful songs and can often be seen hopping around in bushes and grass. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![Golden-crowned Sparrow](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Golden-crowned_Sparrow_DSC4662.jpg&width=800) Photo: VJAnderson, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Golden-crowned_Sparrow_DSC4662.jpg) ## Appearance The Golden-crowned Sparrow has a striking bright yellow patch on its crown, bordered by distinct black stripes, giving it a regal look. Its face is a plain gray, contrasting with its streaky brown back and clean, unstreaked gray belly. This bold head pattern makes it easily identifiable among other sparrows. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Passerellidae - **Genus:** Zonotrichia ## Interesting facts - Golden-crowned Sparrows fly thousands of miles from Alaska to California for winter vacation! - Sometimes, they'll forage upside-down on branches, showing off their acrobatic skills. - Their unique song sounds like 'Oh dear me,' making them quite easy to identify by sound alone. - They use both feet at once to scratch the ground for food, a move called 'double-scratching'! ## Special abilities - **Cold Weather Forager:** Golden-crowned Sparrows can find hidden seeds and insects in cold weather, helping them survive chilly winters. - **Long-Distance Navigator:** Golden-crowned Sparrows can migrate thousands of kilometers each year, finding their way to breeding and wintering grounds. - **Melancholy Melody:** Golden-crowned Sparrows has a distinct three-note song that helps them communicate and define territory. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 15-18 cm - **Wingspan:** 23-28 cm - **Weight:** 0.022-0.029 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-7 years - **Speed:** 45 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-5 - **Incubation:** 11-13 days - **Migration Distance:** 4500 km ## Diet & Feeding This sparrow enjoys a mixed diet of tasty seeds, berries, and insects all year round! - **Age differences:** Eats more protein-rich insects during breeding season and shifts to seeds in winter. - **Primary Foods:** Seeds (grasses, weeds), Berries (elderberry, salmonberry), Insects (beetles, caterpillars), Spiders - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk) (*Accipiter cooperii*) — A swift hunter that preys on smaller birds like sparrows. - **Eaten by:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — Domestic cats are common predators, especially in suburban areas. - **Eats:** [Salmonberry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/salmonberry) (*Rubus spectabilis*) — Consumes the berries from this plant as a food source. - **Eats:** [Dandelion](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dandelion) (*Taraxacum officinale*) — Feeds on the nutritious seeds of common dandelions. - **Eats:** Eastern Tent Caterpillar (*Malacosoma americanum*) — Enjoys munching on caterpillars for protein, especially when breeding. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance, and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Golden-crowned Sparrow? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Golden-crowned Sparrow? 15-18 cm ### What is Golden-crowned Sparrow's wingspan? 23-28 cm ### How much does Golden-crowned Sparrow weigh? 0.022-0.029 kg ### How long does Golden-crowned Sparrow live? 2-7 years ### How fast can Golden-crowned Sparrow move? 45 km/h ### What does Golden-crowned Sparrow eat? This sparrow enjoys a mixed diet of tasty seeds, berries, and insects all year round! ### Where is Golden-crowned Sparrow usually found? Urban areas ## Where to spot - [Fort Atkinson](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-atkinson) — Iowa, US · Forest - [Langford Lake Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/langford-lake-park) — British Columbia, CA · Park - [Point Reyes National Seashore](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/point-reyes-national-seashore) — California, US · National Park - [Iona Beach Regional Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/iona-beach-regional-park) — British Columbia, CA · Park - [Caswell Memorial State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/caswell-memorial-state-park) — California, US · State Park - [Jack London State Historic Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jack-london-state-historic-park) — California, US · State Park [View all places to see Golden-crowned Sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/golden-crowned-sparrow) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Golden-crowned Sparrow: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/golden-crowned-sparrow)