Fox Sparrow Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesFox Sparrow
Adult (Red)
Large, chunky sparrow with a rounded head. Plumage varies; eastern form is rich reddish brown with coarse, blurry streaks. Face is gray; bill is black and yellow.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryRhode Island, February 11, 2017Adult (Sooty)
Large, chunky sparrow with rounded head. The "Sooty" form lives along the Pacific Coast. Upperparts are dark brown; face is grayish; bill is gray and yellow.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, October 16, 2020Adult (Red)
Males sing a sequence of about a dozen rich, whistled notes lasting 2–3 seconds in all. During summer they sing vigorously at any time from before dawn until after dark.
© Larry Arbanas / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 09, 2007Not all videos have sound
Adult (Thick-billed)
Large sparrow with very thick bill. The "Thick-billed" form lives mainly in the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains of California and Oregon. Slate gray head and back with brown wings and tail; heavily spotted underparts.
© Scott McCusker / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, April 10, 2017Adult (Slate-colored)
Large, chunky sparrow. Head and back are gray; wings and tail are bright rufous. The "Slate-colored" form breeds in interior western North America and winters mainly along the Pacific Coast.
© Darren Clark / Macaulay LibraryIdaho, April 15, 2019Adult (Red)
Forages on leaf litter and bare ground, using sturdy legs to kick away leaves in search of insects and seeds.
© Sam Zhang / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, November 26, 2023Not all videos have sound
Adult (Red)
Most Fox Sparrows have yellowish bills with gray tinges to the upper mandible. The "Red" form has a mostly gray face with variable reddish brown on the cheek.
© Fyn Kynd / Macaulay LibraryNew York, October 27, 2020Adult (Red)
Found on or near the ground in thickets, overgrown fields, spruce-tamarack bogs, woodland edges, willow and alder tangles, chaparral, manzanita, and other dense brushy areas.
© Luke Seitz / Macaulay LibraryMaine, April 03, 2017Adult (Sooty)
Some "Sooty" Fox Sparrows are a more flat gray brown without the reddish tones. The heavy spots (often chevron shaped) coalesce into larger patches on the breast.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryWashington, November 05, 2018Similar SpeciesSong Sparrow
Adult/immature
Song Sparrows are smaller than Fox Sparrows and have grayish instead of yellowish bills. Song Sparrows have coarse breast streaks whereas Fox Sparrows have heavy chevron-shaped spots that coalesce into blotches.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryVermont, May 22, 2017Similar SpeciesSong Sparrow
Adult/immature
Song Sparrows and Fox Sparrows both vary extensively across their range. Song Sparrows have a grayish bill, a stripe through the eye, and coarse streaks instead of spots on the breast.
© Steven Mlodinow / Macaulay LibraryWashington, December 28, 2010Similar SpeciesSavannah Sparrow
Adult (Savannah)
Savannah Sparrows are smaller than Fox Sparrows and have smaller bills and shorter tails. They are more finely streaked and usually have yellow above the eye.
© Kirk Swenson / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, November 11, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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