White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) is in the New World Sparrows family (Passerellidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 120,758 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in October.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: spring and fall migrant. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph White-crowned Sparrow: observations by month (U.S.)
About White-crowned Sparrow
The white-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) is a medium-sized sparrow native to North America.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
White-crowned Sparrow by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 64,757 | January | Sep–Apr |
| Texas | 11,141 | April | Nov–Apr |
| Washington | 6,083 | April | Apr–Jul |
| Arizona | 5,623 | January | Oct–Apr |
| Oregon | 4,931 | April | Apr–Sep |
| Colorado | 3,172 | July | Apr–Jan |
| Illinois | 2,764 | May | May–May |
| New Mexico | 2,551 | December | Sep–May |
| Nevada | 2,123 | October | Sep–Apr |
| Utah | 1,693 | April | Jul–May |
| Ohio | 1,576 | May | May–May |
| Michigan | 1,149 | May | May–May |
| Alaska | 1,145 | June | May–Aug |
| Idaho | 968 | September | Sep–Apr |
| Wisconsin | 836 | May | May–May |
| New York | 803 | May | May–May |
| Missouri | 751 | April | Oct–May |
| Wyoming | 745 | July | May–Sep |
| Pennsylvania | 663 | May | Apr–May |
| Oklahoma | 582 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Maryland | 467 | October | Oct–Feb |
| Montana | 463 | July | May–Oct |
| Minnesota | 453 | May | May–May |
| Kansas | 450 | April | Oct–May |
| Vermont | 445 | May | May–May |
| Virginia | 436 | October | Oct–Feb |
| Tennessee | 420 | April | Oct–Apr |
| Indiana | 418 | May | Apr–May |
| Florida | 347 | January | Oct–Apr |
| Massachusetts | 339 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Arkansas | 277 | April | Oct–May |
| Louisiana | 268 | January | Nov–Apr |
| New Jersey | 246 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Nebraska | 235 | May | Apr–May |
| North Carolina | 170 | January | Oct–Jan |
| Iowa | 167 | May | Apr–May |
| South Dakota | 137 | May | Apr–May |
| Kentucky | 136 | May | Apr–May |
| Maine | 135 | May | May–May |
| Alabama | 102 | November | Oct–Mar |
| South Carolina | 100 | January | Jan–Apr |
| Connecticut | 84 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Georgia | 80 | November | Oct–Dec |
| West Virginia | 69 | May | Apr–May |
| North Dakota | 67 | May | May–May |
| Mississippi | 65 | November | Oct–Feb |
| New Hampshire | 56 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Delaware | 36 | October | Oct–Oct |
| District of Columbia | 19 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Rhode Island | 15 | October | Oct–Oct |
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-throated Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
California Towhee
Eastern 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 White-crowned Sparrow?
Nationally, October has the most observations, with the main season from September to May.
Where is White-crowned Sparrow most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Texas, Washington.