Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) is in the New World Sparrows family (Passerellidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 19,978 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in January.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: winter visitor. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Fox Sparrow: observations by month (U.S.)
About Fox Sparrow
The fox sparrow (Passerella iliaca) is a large American sparrow. It is the only member of the genus Passerella, although some authors split the species into four (see below).From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Fox Sparrow by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 6,489 | October | Sep–Mar |
| Texas | 1,535 | January | Dec–Feb |
| Oregon | 1,389 | January | Sep–Apr |
| Washington | 1,049 | December | Sep–Apr |
| Illinois | 1,039 | March | Mar–Apr |
| New York | 890 | March | Nov–Apr |
| Maryland | 659 | March | Nov–Mar |
| Ohio | 651 | April | Nov–Apr |
| Alaska | 618 | June | May–Aug |
| Minnesota | 530 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Pennsylvania | 408 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Wisconsin | 386 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Virginia | 368 | March | Nov–Mar |
| Michigan | 314 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Massachusetts | 277 | March | Nov–Apr |
| New Jersey | 273 | March | Nov–Mar |
| Vermont | 268 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Tennessee | 236 | January | Dec–Mar |
| Missouri | 234 | March | Nov–Mar |
| North Carolina | 209 | January | Dec–Feb |
| Indiana | 169 | March | Oct–Apr |
| Kansas | 153 | March | Oct–Mar |
| Arkansas | 139 | January | Dec–Feb |
| Oklahoma | 135 | February | Nov–Feb |
| Connecticut | 127 | December | Nov–Mar |
| Arizona | 101 | February | Oct–Mar |
| New Hampshire | 99 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Maine | 92 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Louisiana | 90 | February | Dec–Feb |
| Georgia | 87 | January | Nov–Mar |
| Utah | 82 | April | Mar–Aug |
| Colorado | 79 | July | Apr–Jul |
| Kentucky | 77 | January | Nov–Mar |
| Idaho | 75 | April | Apr–Jul |
| Delaware | 72 | March | Nov–Mar |
| Iowa | 71 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Nevada | 64 | June | May–Jul |
| South Carolina | 60 | January | Nov–Feb |
| Montana | 50 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Nebraska | 42 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Alabama | 38 | January | Jan–Feb |
| District of Columbia | 37 | March | Mar–Mar |
| New Mexico | 37 | December | Oct–Apr |
| Mississippi | 36 | January | Dec–Feb |
| West Virginia | 34 | March | Nov–Apr |
| North Dakota | 29 | April | Apr–Apr |
| South Dakota | 24 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Wyoming | 24 | June | May–Jul |
| Rhode Island | 19 | February | Nov–Mar |
| Florida | 14 | January | Dec–Jan |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (New World Sparrows)
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
California Towhee
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fox Sparrow?
Nationally, January has the most observations, with the main season from October to April.
Where is Fox Sparrow most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Texas, Oregon.