Fun Chirping Sparrow Facts For Kids

If you love tiny sparrows then this article is for you. This article is about the brown-headed chirping sparrow that can be found in its natural habitat in the North American continent.

The chirping sparrow is also known as the chipping sparrow (Spizella passerina). These birds are lightweight and clumsy and can be seen flying and chirping for the whole day in the woods and even on the ground in cities.

They have a small body size range of 4.5-6 in (11.4-15.2 cm) and a weight range up to 0.6 oz (16 g). Their diet is mainly based on seeds and granules.

All year-round, these birds change their appearance around three times. In the summer season, they bear a dull complexion. Their brown feather seems dull, and the underbody is light gray.

In winter, chipping sparrows grow vibrant feathers on their body with dark-streaked wings. But they show their actual beauty in their breeding season. These birds grow reddish feathers on their head that look like a hat.

Chirping sparrows are generally migratory birds. Their migration takes place in flocks to southern parts of the United States near Mexico, and again from the southern parts, they return in flocks to northern parts during spring.

Keep reading to get to know some interesting and fun facts about this bird, including facts about its small range map, habitat, nests, calls, and more! If you are someone who enjoys reading articles on bird facts, then check out these amazing hawk facts and song thrush facts too.

‍

Chirping Sparrow Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a chirping sparrow?

A chipping sparrow (Spizella passerina) is a little bird that inhabits the North American continent. Chipping sparrows belong to the family Passerellidae and can be commonly seen across their habitat range.

What class of animal does a chirping sparrow belong to?

Chipping sparrows belong to the class Aves, the order Passeriformes, the family Passerellidae, and the genus Spizella. The scientific name for this bird species is Spizella passerina.

How many chirping sparrows are there in the world?

According to their IUCN Least Concern status, the population of this species is stable and is thriving well in nature. The exact number of chipping sparrow birds is currently unknown, but chipping sparrows are common and widespread resident birds of North American tree habitats.

Where do chirping sparrows live?

The chipping sparrow is a resident of both rural and urban areas. They can be commonly spotted around North America. Chipping sparrows are seen in woodlands, forest edges, and coniferous forests. In urban environments, the urban chipping sparrow can be spotted in parks, open ground areas, sitting in tree branches, and even sometimes on your balcony too.

What is a chirping sparrow's habitat?

Chirping sparrow birds are commonly seen in North America. They live either on trees or the ground.

Who does chirping sparrow live with?

Chipping sparrows are polygamous birds. When the breeding season approaches, males fly to different areas in groups and breed with different females. Chipping sparrows live in colonies near humans, so finding their nests in holes and branches of trees is very common.

How long does a chirping sparrow live?

Chipping sparrows live to an age of nine years maximum. Though a lot of birds die in their first few weeks after birth, a lot of chipping sparrows make it to independent adulthood. They generally reach independence after three to four weeks.

How do they reproduce?

Chipping sparrows have a breeding period that lasts for three to four months. The breeding season starts in April and ends in the month of July.

For breeding, males fly to different areas to interact with different groups of females. Male chipping sparrows attract a female with their song. Then they breed, and if the breeding is successful, females lay around three to seven eggs.

After the eggs have been laid, these eggs go through an incubation period of 10-15 days. Between 12 days and two weeks after the hatching of the eggs, the chicks become independent and leave their nests.

What is their conservation status?

According to the IUCN, chipping sparrows fall under the category of Least Concern. Their population is stable and they are living happily in both the wild and around humans.

Chirping Sparrow Fun Facts

What does a chirping sparrow look like?

Chipping sparrows look like moving feather balls. These brown-headed birds have a lower body covered with gray-colored feathers. Their upper body is an orange-rust color. When the breeding season approaches, these birds develop a reddish cap over their head and a white supercilium. After the end of the breeding season, the reddish cap turns into a brown cap.

How cute are they?

These little feather balls are very cute. Chipping sparrows weigh around 0.4-0.6 oz (11-16 g), so along with cuteness, they are very much delicate as well. Sparrows, in general, are cute and adorable, and everything is special about them.

Perhaps the most special thing about them is their enchanting song. Sparrow calls can be heard everywhere and are very relaxing. As for their body description, male sparrows are reddish colored while females have brown-colored feathers with dark bars on them, which make them look super cute!

How do they communicate?

Chipping sparrows communicate through their song, which sounds very similar to that of a junco. The chirping sparrow sound is like a shrill vibration that is quite soothing to the ears.

Compared to a female, the male bird sings a longer trill. The trill of a chipping sparrow is a common sound that can be heard in the woods in the daytime. This trill of the male bird attracts the female to breed also.

How big is a chirping sparrow?

A chipping sparrow is a little bird, like the sparrows that live in North America. Its length range varies from 4.5-6 in (11.4-15.2 cm), and its weight range varies from 0.4-0.6 oz (11-16 g). They have a wingspan of 8 in (20.3 cm). Despite their small size, chipping sparrows are swift birds.

How fast can a chirping sparrow fly?

The chipping sparrow species is a small bird species and these birds are agile and swift. They can fly to a moderate height but are usually seen nearer the ground. The flight speed of a chipping sparrow is similar to that of other sparrow species, reaching 28.6 mph (46 kph).

How much does a chirping sparrow weigh?

Chipping sparrows are common small birds from North America. They don't weigh much and their weight range varies from 0.4-0.6 oz (11-16 g).

What are their male and female names of the species?

Male and female chipping sparrow birds neither differ much in size nor weight. Nor do male and female chipping sparrow birds have specific names within this species.

What would you call a baby chirping sparrow?

A baby chipping sparrow is known as a chick.

What do they eat?

The diet of the chipping sparrow species mainly depends on seeds and granules. They are generally omnivores by nature.

Their diet depends on a lot of things and they also feed on insects, seeds, food granules, and grains. They prey on insects, but there are predators that they are afraid of as well, such as the blue racer snake and the blue jay.

Are they poisonous?

No, a chipping sparrow does not have any poison. They are just small fun-loving birds, famous for their melodious songs.

Would they make a good pet?

No, chipping sparrows are meant to be free in the wild. Though they are very cute and adorable and are famous for their melodious songs, keeping this species in a confined space is illegal in lots of places.

Did you know...

Chirping sparrows are found across the whole North American continent. Based on their location and habitat choice, they are subcategorized into two variants: Eastern chipping sparrows and western chipping sparrows.

The eastern variant of this bird is comparatively smaller and darker and has a rich rufous upper body. On the other hand, the western subspecies is a little bigger in size.

Are they loud?

Not at all. Chipping sparrow songs are mild and pleasant to the ear. They can be heard in flocks near the woods all day long. They sing in a shrill voice that sounds like a mild oscillation.

How do you identify a chipping sparrow?

A chipping sparrow's look changes all year round, particularly during summer and winter. In the summer season, they are pale-colored birds with a light gray underbody but in winter, their colors become vibrant.

Their upper body becomes vibrant brown colored with dark streaks. Apart from during summer and winter, in the breeding season, breeding birds of this species (both male and female birds) grow a reddish cap on their head, which remains brown in all other seasons. This sparrow species is beautiful and one of a kind.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover!  For more relatable content, check out these painted bunting facts and shrike facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in our free printable Chirping sparrow coloring pages.