Forests come alive with sparrows

As the temperatures drop and the leaves begin to fall, the forests and prairies come alive with sparrows.

Although they may be more muted in their color than other songbirds, and even confusing in their many shades of brown, many sparrows are quite beautiful in voice and plumage, and right now is a great time to observe them.

Around 20 species of sparrows can be found in Iowa throughout the year. Twelve species, like song, field, and swamp sparrows, spend the summer in Iowa and nest in our forests, prairies, wetlands, and agricultural lands.

Some of these species may also be seen in lower numbers in winter, but most migrate to the southern U.S. or Mexico for winter.

But for several species, like American tree sparrows and dark-eyed juncos, Iowa is “south for the winter.”

Still others, like white-throated, LeConte’s, and Lincoln’s sparrows are only seen for a few weeks each year as they migrate through the state, breeding north of us, and wintering south of us.

Outside of the breeding season, sparrows tend to flock together, and seeing large numbers of individuals is common for certain species.

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Late September into October is an excellent time of year to see the wide diversity of the sparrow family in Iowa as breeding birds begin to leave and migrants and wintering species arrive.

During migration we see many white-throated and white-crowned sparrows in Iowa. White-crowned and white-throated Sparrows can sometimes be tricky to tell apart, but are usually quite different from the other species; the white color on their heads sets them apart.

Notice that the white-crowned sparrow has bold white and black head stripes and a clear chest, while the white-throated sparrow has white and brown head stripes with yellow eyebrows and a white bib under the chin.

Undoubtedly, the most confusing group of sparrows to identify are what I call “the little brown ones with stripes,” of which there are many.

One key area to look at to help with identification of these species is the face. Look for eye stripes, head stripes, eye rings and colored areas as well as bill shape and color to help distinguish them.

Also look at the placement and thickness of stripes. It can take practice and looking at many individuals to grow confident, but even if you aren’t sure what species you’re looking at, you can still enjoy their beautifully patterned feathers.

Song can also be a helpful tool to sort out the different sparrows. Song sparrows, for example, are the classic soundtrack of summer in Iowa and can be found in many different habitats, from urban settings to forest edges.

Their song starts with several clear whistled notes followed by a variety of musical buzzing and trills.

Henslow’s sparrows, which favor large prairies, sound like a short buzzy hiccup or sneeze.

Always remember that time of year and habitat can also be good clues to help narrow down the options of any bird species you’re trying to identify. And if all else fails, try to enjoy whatever little brown bird you see or hear, even if you can’t name it.