Habitat
In general they require a patchy mosaic of bare ground and shrubby areas for breeding. Their territories are usually small, and they will breed in small patches of habitat in the middle of a city. During winter, they move into slightly more open habitats than the related Golden-crowned Sparrow. There are two subspecies of White-crowned Sparrow in Western Washington. Z. l. pugetensis occurs in shrubby habitats in cities, recent clear-cuts, wetlands. Z. l. gambelii, meadows, grass, and dense shrubs.
Behavior
White-crowned Sparrows are generally found in flocks of their own and other species outside the breeding season. Flocks of White-crowned Sparrows fan out into open ground away from sheltering bushes as they feed, flying back to cover in a wave if disturbed. They forage on the ground in open areas, with sheltered thickets nearby for cover. They use a two-footed scratching maneuver to locate food in the leaf litter.
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| Puget Sound |
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| Gambels |
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