Size:

Length: 6.5-7.5in

ID:

Male: One of the largest sparrows; undersides white with bright rufous steaks on chest that converges to central spot; triangular spots on sides of belly; rufous wings, tail and rump; gray around eye and side of neck and nape; some wing tips dark; yellowish lower bill, top darker, conical shaped; pinkish gray anisodactylous feet (three toes point forward and one toe points backward)
Female and Juvenile: Same as adult male

Habitat:

Shrubs or thickets in riparian setting  (near body of water); woodland edges; backyards and parks

Diet:

Insects (ground beetles, millipedes, spiders), seeds (weed seeds, especially knotweeds) and berries; double scratch in vegetation  and will feed under bird feeders

Family Behavior:

Mating Habits: Monogamous and solitary; 2 broods per year

Local Breeding Period: Breeds only in Alaska and Canada
Nests: Cup shaped; built by female; made of roots, lichen, and twigs, lined with grass and moss; placed on ground, in shrub and rarely on low branches
Eggs:  2-5 pale green with reddish brown markings; female incubates 12-14 days
Nestlings: Born altricial (helpless, naked, eyes closed) and stay in nest 9-11 days; fed by both parents

Social Activities:

Single or in winter feeding groups; solitary or in pairs in nesting season

Range:

Winters on west coast of US and southern US;  summers in Alaska and Canada

Vocalization:

Calls are chip and click notes; sings different songs in a row and starts over; rich, flute-like melodious songs; short, clear notes and sliding whistle