Learn what a fox sparrow looks like and where to find this bird. Also learn about the fox sparrow's favorite foods, song and nesting habits.
How to Identify a Fox Sparrow
Published on Jun. 10, 2025
What Does a Fox Sparrow Look Like?
Even a short visit from a fox sparrow — and that’s all we get most of the time — is a reason for birders to rejoice. These large sparrows are notable for their beautiful chestnut color (at least in the eastern U.S.). In the West, their plumage is much duller, leaning toward gray in the Rockies and most of California, and brown along the Pacific coast.
“What kind of bird is this?” asks Birds & Blooms reader Brian Herrmann of Parma, Ohio.
Birding experts Kenn and Kimberly says, “This shy bird hiding among the branches is a fox sparrow— among the largest and most beautiful of our native sparrows in North America. The key to identifying the one in your photo is the mix of gray and foxy reddish brown, which is especially bright on the tail.”
Fox Sparrow Diet
Look for these ground-feeding birds in shrubs, brush piles and grasses at the edge of wooded areas. They scratch with their feet in the leaf litter for insects and seeds — similar to spotted and eastern towhees. Also keep an eye on the area underneath your backyard bird feeders, though they typically stay hidden in dense plant cover.
Range and Migration
Northern birders may only spot these birds briefly during migration. Kenn and Kimberly say, “They spend the winter mostly in the southern states and go far north into Canada for the summer nesting season.”
Nesting Habits
These sparrows build cup-shaped nests on the ground or in low branches of small shrubs or trees. The female lays two to five eggs.
Fox Sparrow Song
Bird sounds courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
The male sparrow has a beautiful, clear singing voice that it uses to full advantage to defend its territory during the summer breeding season.
Next, learn how to identify a song sparrow.
About the Experts
Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman are the official bird experts for Birds & Blooms. They are the creators of the Kaufman Field Guide series and they lead birding trips all over the world.
