20 Pictures That Will Change How You Look at Sparrows

Courtesy Stuart Fiedler

Sparrow Pictures You Need to See

Think sparrows are plain brown birds, not worth the energy of clicking your camera’s shutter? Think again! This collection of Birds & Blooms reader-submitted sparrow pictures shows just how regal and eye-catching sparrows can be. (Plus, baby sparrows are pretty cute, too.)

Snowy Sparrow

“I like this picture of a Harris’s sparrow sitting on an icy covered cedar branch in our backyard because it shows that birds can withstand adverse weather conditions. It looks like it’s pondering how best to survive. These birds are not flashy but are a delight to have in our yard,” Bob Bauer says.

Learn how to identify a Lincoln’s sparrow.

Winter Birding

“I enjoy taking walks during all seasons, but winter is especially fun for me. I usually hang around thick underbrush, hoping to catch sight of whatever may be foraging for food. It just so happened I came across this white-throated sparrow. As you can see, he was working on some berries he had found. I love hearing their sweet call in winter and early spring,” Ashley Jenkins says.

Here’s how to attract sparrows to your yard.

Clay Colored Sparrow in the Meadow

“Every Memorial Day weekend, my daughter and I travel and camp with fellow photographers and spend the weekend driving around Crex Meadows Wildlife area in Grantsburg, Wisconsin, looking for birds and other things to photograph. We always have a great time and usually come away with some nice images and great memories,” Jeff Weymeier says.

Psst—do you know what a house sparrow looks like?

Unique Sparrow Sighting

“There is a population of grasshopper sparrows that winter in more remote regions of the Coconino National Forest in the Camp Verde, Cottonwood, and Sedona, Arizona, areas. They normally forage in tall grass, making them very difficult to find. This bird popped out and perched on a branch for a brief moment as I was walking through a field of grass outside of Camp Verde, Arizona. I took advantage of the moment and took a quick series of photos at a fairly close distance. This is one of my favorites. I like how the background colors contrast with those of the bird, making it stand out,” Gary Botello says.

Discover 7 types of finch birds to look for in winter.

Puffy Song Sparrow

“This is is photo of a song sparrow during winter in Cabot, Pennsylvania. It is my favorite picture I’ve ever taken,” Emily Mccabe says. Did you know dark-eyed juncos are part of the sparrow family? Here are 8 fun facts about these adorable “snowbirds.”

Perfectly Perched Savannah Sparrow

“The intense glare of this Savannah sparrow makes it look very regal. I like the way the photo shows off the crisp outline of its feathers and the sharpness of its claws. Thanks to its simplicity, this photograph is one of my favorites,” Teresa Taylor says.

Don’t miss 25 simply stunning cardinal bird pictures.

Baby Sparrow in the Backyard

“This photo of a juvenile song sparrow in my backyard was taken with a Canon t6i,” Connie Redinger says. If your heart warms at pictures of a young sparrow, you’ll love looking at pictures of baby bluebirds.

A Friendly Visitor

“This picture was taken at the Churchville, Pennsylvania, Nature Center. I like going to the bird blind and waiting for the beautiful creatures to arrive. This is a white-throated sparrow,” Harris Lacey says.

Meet the slate colored junco and other types of juncos.

Snapping Song Sparrow Pictures

“I snapped this little fellow just as he landed on a redbud tree branch with breakfast in beak early one spring morning. Song sparrows are such a conspicuous part of spring. When you come upon one boldly standing on his high perch pouring out his song, it makes all the colors of spring seem brighter,” Stuart Allison says. Don’t miss the 51 best spring bird pictures ever.

Tree Sparrow Watching a Bird-Watcher

“This American tree sparrow was watching me watch it. I love this photo due to the contrast and pose of the bird. It was taken in Stevens, Pennsylvania,” Janet Zimmerman says. If you like looking at photos of sparrows, you’ll enjoy these pretty photos of finches, too.

A Perfect Pose

“I took this photo of a white-crowned sparrow in a dahlia garden in Eureka, California. I loved the beautiful color of the dahlia and the subtle background,” Jane Work says.

Fox Sparrow on a Jasmine Vine

“This uncommon fox sparrow made a brief appearance during a rainstorm. He posed on our jasmine vine just for a moment, but it was long enough for a nice picture. They are quite elusive, so I was thrilled!” Karen White says.

Find out how to keep house sparrow nests out of bluebird boxes.

Grumpy Sparrow in Snow

“This is an immature white-crowned sparrow. He wasn’t too happy about the snow, as you can tell. I was probably sitting about 10 feet away from him when I took this picture. I was outside, freezing, trying to get photos of all the birds eating, and this was one of my favorites,” Haley Fredericks says. These funny bird pictures will make you squawk with laughter.

Sparrow on a Feeder

“This tiny chipping sparrow landed on a feeder on my deck this spring. I just love this little bird,” Janice Poole says. Find out how to attract native sparrows to your backyard feeders.

Sweet Spring Sparrow

“When I began pursuing photography a few years ago, I dreamed of getting a shot of a bird in my backyard crabapple tree while it was in bloom. Last year, I waited and waited as the sun slowly set and I captured this lovely white-throated sparrow as it sat and snacked on the tree’s blossoms. Patience and hard work really paid off!” says Janelle Pitula.

Discover spring warbler birds you should know.

Sparrow in the Desert

“Red Tank Draw, 12 miles southeast of Sedona, Arizona, is located in the red rock country of the Verde Valley in the Coconino National Forest. The beauty is spectacular like the Sedona area itself, only on a more private level. With a constant water source, it attracts many high desert species of birds. Black-throated sparrows breed here in the summer and are pretty much year-round residents. This is one of my favorite desert species. I took this photo of one as it perched atop a cactus plant,” Gary Botello says.

White as Snow

“One morning a friend and I were hiking at the University of Guelph Arboretum in Ontario, Canada. We spotted this gorgeous leucistic white-throated sparrow. It was such a wonderful experience! We had never seen a bird quite like it,” says Brenda Doherty.

Backyard tip: This sparrow isn’t a true albino—it is leucistic. That means that some or, in this case, most of its feathers lack pigment.

White-Crowned Sparrows

“These white-crowned sparrows appeared in Henderson, Nevada, during late September. I just loved the way this adorable pair patiently waited for me to get this shot, almost as if they were posing for me,” Jennifer Brohl says.

Meet the towhee birds scratching up a storm in the backyard.

Song Sparrow Snags a Snack

“I took this photo in PEI, Canada. This little song sparrow stopped to let me take his picture and eat some of the seeds I put down for him. I love wildlife,” Misty Bernard says. Meet the top songbirds in America.