Chipping Sparrow

(Spizella passerina)

Conservation Status
Chipping Sparrow
Photo by Ramona Abrego
  IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

     
  NatureServe

N5B, N5N - Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding

SNRB - Unranked Breeding

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
 
Description
 
 

The crown is rust-colored but the eyeline is black.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

5 to 6 in length

8½ wingspan

 
     
 

Voice

 
   
 

The song is a rapid trill lasting about 3.6 seconds consisting of about 55 nearly identical notes.

 
     
   
 

The call is a single chip note.

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Open conifers, woodland edges, yards, gardens.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Migration

 
 

Late March to early November

 
     
 

Nesting

 
 

 

 
     
 

Food

 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common to locally abundant migrant and breeder

 
         
 

Maps

 
 

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Class Aves (birds)  
 

Order

Passeriformes (perching birds)  
 

Family

Passerellidae (New World sparrows)  
 

Genus

Spizella (chipping sparrows)  
       
 

New World sparrows were traditionally combined with buntings into the family Emberizidae. Recent phylogenetic analysis (Barker et al. 2013) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis (Klicka et al. 2014) found that the Old World buntings should be separated as a sister to New World sparrows. New World sparrows have been separated into a new family, Passerellidae.

 
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina atremaea)

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina mexicana)

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina pinetorum)

Eastern Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina passerina)

Western Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina arizonae)

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Ramona Abrego

 
    Chipping Sparrow   Chipping Sparrow  
           
    Chipping Sparrow      
 

Alfredo Colon

 
    Chipping Sparrow   Chipping Sparrow  
 

Lynn Rubey

 
 

A Chipping Sparrow flittering from branch to branch in The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge.

 
    Chipping Sparrow      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
    Chipping Sparrow   Chipping Sparrow  
           
    Chipping Sparrow   Chipping Sparrow  
           

 

Camera

 

     
 
Slideshows
 
Chipping Sparrow
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren
  Chipping Sparrow  
Chipping Sparrow
JMC Nature Photos
  Chipping Sparrow  
Chipping Sparrow
jt893x
  Chipping Sparrow  
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)
k chamberlin
 
   
 
About

Published on Jun 20, 2012

Spizella Passerina 5 1/4 inches Ashland, NH June 19, 2012

   
  Chipping Sparrow (Emberizidae: Spizella passerina) Adult
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Jul 1, 2009

Photographed at Grand Forks, North Dakota (01 July 2009).

   
  Parasitic cowbird with chipping sparrow "mother"
Gordon Harris
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Nov 10, 2010

This cowbird fledgling can fly to trees from our yard, but when its host mother, a chipping sparrow is around, it still wants to be fed. The sparrow dutifully feeds the little begger, even though the cowbird is easily twice its size. We saw this show for only one day.

   
  Chipping Sparrow Trilling
The Music of Nature
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Apr 24, 2010

I gathered this charming video of a Chipping Sparrow giving trilled songs at Land Between the Lakes, Kentucky. The singer is perched on a steel cable fence next to a parking lot. Another Chipping Sparrow is singing in the background, along with a Yellow-throated Vireo and a Northern Parula.

The Chipping Sparrow is a handsome bird, sporting varied earthy tones and a chestnut-colored cap.

© 2010 Lang Elliott
musicofnature.org

   
  Chipping Sparrow Singing
WIld Bird Video Productions
 
   
 
About

Published on Apr 22, 2012

Chipping sparrows are one of the first sparrow species to return to nest in the spring. My yard is no exception and we have a least two pairs each year. Not the most glamorous species but a familiar one to many. © 2012 Garth McElroy. www.wildbirdvideos.com

License at http://www.paya.com/videos/135177

   
       

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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  Ramona Abrego

Location: Washington County

Chipping Sparrow  
  Alfredo Colon
9/28/2019

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

Chipping Sparrow  
  Lynn Rubey
10/29/2018

Location: Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge

A Chipping Sparrow flittering from branch to branch in The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge.

Chipping Sparrow  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
   

 

 

Binoculars

 

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