Worldwide Birder

Sparrows in Ontario – The Complete Guide To 19 Ontario Sparrows

Ontario is home to a diverse array of birds, with 510 bird species being observed in the province. Moreover, an excellent collection of sparrows in Ontario has been observed, as 31 sparrow species have been observed to date. This article will discuss the 19 expected species of sparrow in Ontario, so read on as I discuss sparrow identification and behavioral traits of these birds!

Table of Contents

What Do Sparrows Eat In Ontario?

Before I discuss the different types of sparrows in Ontario, I would like to comment on sparrow diets. All sparrows in Ontario have similar diets that consist of seeds, insects, and grains. House Sparrows are an invasive species, so their diets are slightly different than those of native sparrows. For instance, they tend to consume more grains than native sparrows. Otherwise, the diets of Ontario Sparrows are pretty consistent across the board.

19 Sparrows in Ontario

American Tree Sparrow

An American Tree Sparrow perches on a metal chord near a wooden fence post.
American Tree Sparrows breed in far northern Ontario, and they are found in southern Ontario in winter.

Identification

American Tree Sparrows are red-capped sparrows with gray faces and bicolored bills. They have tawny sides and mottled brown, black, and white wings and backs. Their undersides are pale with a characteristic dark spot around the chest.

Habitat and Range

Based on the name of this bird, you would surely guess that it spends a lot of time in forested areas. However, this is not the case, as its name is misleading. Instead, American Tree Sparrows frequent weedy ditches, fallow fields, wetlands, and other areas with substantial plant cover near the ground.

These sparrows in Ontario breed in the far north of the province near Hudson Bay, but they’re absent from the rest of Ontario in the summer. If you’ve ever wondered, “Do sparrows migrate?” just ask an American Tree Sparrow. These creatures fly as far south as Texas during the winter, but southern Ontario comprises the northern part of their wintering ranges.

Behaviour

American Tree Sparrows are gregarious birds during the nonbreeding season, so you will rarely find single birds. They utter soft chip calls as they forage in their winter flocks, and they may stop by bird feeders and consume seeds that have fallen.

Chipping Sparrow

A Chipping Sparrow assesses its surroundings on a sunny morning.
Chipping Sparrows are common during the summer breeding season, being able to survive in many human-dominated landscapes.

Identification

Chipping Sparrows are one of the few sparrows in Ontario with distinct breeding and nonbreeding plumage. Birds in breeding plumage have red caps, white supercilia, gray faces, and dark bills. Their undersides are plain gray and their backs are mottled black and brown. Those in nonbreeding plumage have brown caps, tawny supercilia, and brown faces. Both plumages feature dark lines that trail behind the eyes.

Habitat and Range

Chipping Sparrows are also unusual in their habitat preferences, as they seek out areas with scattered trees and open woodlands rather than grassy habitats.

They may be found just about anywhere save for dense forests during migration. They have even evolved to succeed in urban landscapes. Therefore, most of Ontario hosts breeding Chipping Sparrows, but they depart in autumn to find warmer places to spend the winter.

Behaviour

Chipping Sparrows readily congregate in groups during migration. They will often forage below bird feeders.

Clay-colored Sparrow

A Clay-colored Sparrow forages on the ground during spring migration.
Clay-colored Sparrows breed along Hudson Bay and the Great Lakes, but in few areas in between.

Identification

Like its relative, the Chipping Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrows have two distinct plumages: breeding and nonbreeding plumage. Those in breeding plumage have white throats, white submustachial stripes, and white supercilia. Their cheeks are brown and they have dark stripes enclosing a white crown stripe. They have gray napes, gray undersides, and mottled brown and black backs. Nonbreeding birds retain their gray napes, but the remaining plumage morphs into a primarily brown coloration.

Habitat and Range

Clay-colored Sparrows thrive in prairie areas that have young trees or shrubs throughout the landscape. They may turn up in a variety of open landscapes during migration.

These sparrows in Ontario have an interesting range, with breeding populations existing in the southern third of the province and areas bordering Hudson Bay.

Behaviour

Clay-colored Sparrows look fairly similar to Chipping Sparrows, and they often join them in groups during migration. They are rather shy, but they may forage below bird feeders as they try to access seeds.

Dark-eyed Junco

A male Dark-eyed Junco looks like a chunk as he sits on a tree branch.
Dark-eyed Juncos are familiar to most Ontario residents.

Identification

Several subspecies of Dark-eyed Juncos are found in North America. However, the slate-colored subspecies are by far the most common in Ontario. Their coloration is very simple – they’re gray on top and white below.

Habitat and Range

Dark-eyed Juncos thrive in open, coniferous woodlands where they build nests on the ground. They can be found in an assortment of open habitats during the winter. For instance, they like foraging along forest edges and in parks and backyards during winter.

These creatures breed throughout much of Ontario save for the far southern part of the province. However, southern Ontario is the only place to reliably find juncos in the winter despite them being common winter birds in Michigan.

Behaviour

Dark-eyed Juncos are more accepting of human presence compared to most other sparrows. Therefore, they have no problem spending time around bird feeders and venturing into urban environments.

Eastern Towhee

A male Eastern Towhee walks along a tree branch.
Eastern Towhees are the only sexually dimorphic sparrow in Ontario.

Identification

The only sexually dimorphic native sparrow in Ontario, male Eastern Towhees have black heads, chests, backs, and wings. Their undersides are white and their sides are orange. Meanwhile, females have the same patterns and coloration as males except they are brown in places where males are black.

Habitat and Range

Eastern Towhees are often found in open woodlands where they stay low to the ground.

The breeding range of these Ontario sparrows extends into the southern portion of the province, but birds depart during the winter.

Behaviour

Eastern Towhees are large, shy sparrows that may forage beneath bird feeders. You may notice these birds as they forage in leaf litter, as they use two feet to displace leaves and find insects.

Field Sparrow

A Field Sparrow moves carefully along the ground among vegetation.
The accelerated songs of Field Sparrows are familiar to many who live near open, grassy areas in Ontario.

Identification

Field Sparrows have brown and gray crowns, brown cheeks, pale undersides, pink bills, and bold white eyerings. They have unremarkable brown backs.

Habitat and Range

Field Sparrows are found in similar habitats as Clay-colored Sparrows, as they seek out grassy areas with young trees or shrubs.

The breeding range of these sparrows in Ontario covers the southern portion of this province.

Behaviour

Field Sparrows are prolific songsters, as their accelerated songs fill the air around their summer habitats. These small birds of Ontario may rarely forage in backyards, and they are absent during winter.

Fox Sparrow

A Fox Sparrow hides within a brush pile.
These large, shy sparrows rarely stray from the safety of forest understories.

Identification

There are 18 different subspecies of Fox Sparrow, so there is remarkable variability in the plumages of these birds. The red subspecies is the primary subspecies in Ontario. They’ve got gray supercilia, gray napes, red backs, and white undersides with red streaks.

Habitat and Range

Look for Fox Sparrows in riparian habitats and the understory of boreal forest.

They breed in the northern half of Ontario, and a small wintering population exists along the Lake Erie border.

Behaviour

Fox Sparrows are quite shy. They rarely leave the safety of the forest understories where they use both feet to move leaves.

Grasshopper Sparrow

A Grasshopper Sparrow proclaims his territory as he sings atop a great mullein plant.
Grasshopper Sparrows are not especially common in Ontario, but uninterrupted grasslands with no trees make for good habitat.

Identification

Grasshopper Sparrows are very subtle, as they are muted brown overall with a yellowish spot above the eye.

Habitat and Range

A classic grassland bird, Grasshopper Sparrows select habitats that feature uninterrupted grass and no trees.

They breed in the grasslands of southern Ontario and leave for the winter.

Behaviour

Males may perch in conspicuous places such as fence posts when singing, but these Ontario sparrows otherwise keep a low profile.

Harris’s Sparrow

A Harris's Sparrow perches in a shrub on a sunny fall day.
Harris’s Sparrows are a western Ontario specialty. Here, they pass through the province in May and September/October.

Identification

Harris’s Sparrows have black crowns, black throats, and white undersides with some black splotches. Their faces are brown, and their backs are black and brown.

Habitat and Range

Harris’s Sparrows may be found foraging in backyards during migration. Otherwise, parks and weedy thickets are good places to look.

These birds do not breed nor winter in Ontario. Instead, migrants pass through the western edge of the province.

Behaviour

Harris’s Sparrows are commonly found in the presence of other sparrows of Ontario. They never stray far from the cover of thickets or shrubs.

House Sparrow

A male House Sparrow looks to its left from the safety of a branch.
House Sparrows are not related to any other sparrows on this list. Although they are not true sparrows, they are undoubtedly the most familiar bird on this list.

Identification

The only non-native sparrow present in Ontario, House Sparrows are sexually dimorphic. Males have black masks, gray caps, and brown napes. Meanwhile, females have gray cheeks and brown faces. Both sexes have pale, unmarked undersides and brown backs.

Habitat and Range

These invasive antagonists are remarkably versatile, as they can thrive anywhere from big cities to rural farmsteads.

House Sparrows have successfully colonized the bottom half of Ontario, but it seems that the upper half is too forested for them to establish themselves.

Behaviour

House Sparrows are extremely aggressive towards native birds, leading many to label them as bad birds. The social nature of these creatures means that they are often found in sizable groups during the nonbreeding season.

LeConte’s Sparrow

A LeConte's Sparrow is concealed in white sweet clover.
LeConte’s Sparrows are incredibly shy, rarely leaving the safety of dense grasses.

Identification

LeConte’s Sparrows are attractive with their gold-coloured supercilia, submustachial stripes, and chests. They’ve got white stomachs, streaked gray napes, and golden flanks with dark streaks.

Habitat and Range

LeConte’s Sparrows breed in grassy wet meadows that are devoid of trees. These small birds of Ontario select similar habitats in the winter.

These sparrows of Ontario breed in the grassy habitats surrounding Hudson Bay, but they otherwise do not spend time in the province at any point save for migration.

Behaviour

LeConte’s Sparrows are tremendously secretive. Therefore, getting a view of one is always a treat. They are never found away from dense grassy areas or weedy thickets, and they certainly do not forage under bird feeders. Running rather than flying is often the preferred means of movement for these birds.

Lincoln’s Sparrow

A Lincoln's Sparrow looks around for company as it sits atop a plant during autumn.
Lincoln’s Sparrows are common breeders in Ontario, but they are fairly shy and don’t often venture into the open.

Identification

Lincoln’s Sparrows are unassuming, gray-faced sparrows with brown crowns and finely-streaked pale underparts.

Habitat and Range

The breeding habitat of Lincoln’s Sparrows features openings created by some sort of disturbance such as a fire or logging.

Lincoln’s Sparrows breed throughout most of Ontario, with the very south of the province not being included within the breeding range.

Behaviour

Lincoln’s Sparrows are not as social as many sparrows, with these birds preferring to keep to themselves and forage in dense cover.

Nelson’s Sparrow

A Nelson's Sparrow keeps a low profile as it feeds on wetland vegetation.
One of the most elusive Ontario sparrows, the breeding range of Nelson’s Sparrows is restricted to the northern fringe of the province.

Identification

Nelson’s Sparrows have orange and gray faces with white throats and stomachs.

Habitat and Range

Those in Ontario breed in bogs that contain an assortment of sedges, grasses, and scattered trees. Here, they can remain well-hidden from potential predators like hawks and other birds of prey. 

Nelson’s Sparrows breed along the northern fringe of Ontario.

Behaviour

These birds are the most secretive of the types of sparrows in Ontario. Like their Nelson’s Sparrow counterparts, they are rarely sighted in the open, instead preferring to remain in thick vegetation.

Savannah Sparrow

A Savannah Sparrow perches atop a giant ragweed plant.
Savannah Sparrows seek out areas with short grasses and no trees during the breeding season.

Identification

Savannah Sparrows are a plain brown coloration with white, streaked undersides. The yellow supercilia of this Ontario sparrow species stands out.

Habitat and Range

Savannah Sparrows do not have strict habitat requirements, as most grassy areas are suitable for breeding. Therefore, alfalfa fields, pastures, and grasslands are sought during the summer.

They are common on either end of the province, but scarce in central Ontario where dense boreal forest dominates.

Behaviour

Savannah Sparrows like to remain hidden by grasses during foraging, but you may find them exposed on fence posts or foraging in gravel roads every now and then.

Song Sparrow

A Song Sparrow perches on a tree limb close to the ground.
Song Sparrows are among the more familiar sparrows in Ontario. They breed in grassy habitats that other sparrows may not consider to be suitable.

Identification

There are two dozen Song Sparrow subspecies, but those in Ontario have gray and brown faces, pale, streaked undersides, and gray and brown backs.

Habitat and Range

Song Sparrows are versatile in their habitat usage, being found along field edges, weedy thickets, marsh edges, and other grassy areas.

They breed throughout the province and some winter near the Great Lakes.

Behaviour

Song Sparrows are curious birds that frequently pop out of vegetation to investigate any disturbances. These sparrows in Ontario may be found at bird feeders in winter.

Swamp Sparrow

A Swamp Sparrow holds its tail upright and droops its wings as it surveys its surroundings.
Swamp Sparrows breed in damp, marshy habitats in Ontario.

Identification

Swamps Sparrows have olive-brown bodies, gray napes, and brown and gray faces.

Habitat and Range

Wet, grassy areas are the preferred habitat for these Ontario sparrow species. Indeed, they breed in wetlands filled with cattails, sedges, and other vegetation.

Swamp Sparrows breed throughout Ontario, but densities are lowest in the south.

Behaviour

Males may sing from exposed perches such as cattails during the breeding season. Otherwise, they like to remain hidden.

Vesper Sparrow

A Vesper Sparrow perches on a barbed wire fence during spring migration.
Vesper Sparrows have rather particular habitat requirements, but they are nonetheless regular breeders in the southern half of Ontario.

Identification

Vesper Sparrows are nondescript Ontario sparrows with bold white eyerings and streaked pale chests.

Habitat and Range

These birds need open grassy areas for breeding purposes. They avoid lush grassy ecosystems, instead searching for areas where the grass has been cut short or disturbed in some way.

Vesper Sparrows breed in the southern half of Ontario, but they are not typically observed north of Wabakimi Provincial Park. However, their range is seemingly expanding.

Behaviour

Vesper Sparrows are independent birds that are rarely found associating with others.

White-crowned Sparrow

A White-crowned Sparrow perches on a broken cornstalk.
White-crowned Sparrows are not as common at bird feeders are White-throated Sparrows, but they nonetheless can be regulars during migration.

Identification

Aptly-named, adult White-crowned Sparrows have bold black and white crowns, plain undersides, and unremarkable backs.

Habitat and Range

Areas with shrubs or small trees, grasses, and patches of open ground are sought during the breeding season.

The northern fringes of the province make for great breeding habitat for this Ontario sparrow.

Behaviour

White-crowned Sparrows enjoy being in the presence of other sparrows in the nonbreeding season. They are regulars at bird feeders during this time.

White-throated Sparrow

A tailless White-throated Sparrow sits in a bush.
White-throated Sparrows are regulars at bird feeders during migration.
Identification

White-throated Sparrows do indeed have prominent white throats. Additionally, they have black and white crowns, yellow lores, and plain, unmarked bodies.

Habitat and Range

Areas with open tree canopies and modest understory growth are good breeding locations for these sparrows in Ontario. They thrive in areas that recently experienced a disturbance of some sort, and their numbers decline as forests mature.

White-throated Sparrows breed throughout most of Ontario, but breeders are scarce along the Great Lakes. However, some individuals overwinter in this area.

Behaviour

White-throated Sparrows are more willing to forage under bird feeders in the open compared to many of the other types of sparrows in Ontario.