American Tree Sparrows are small plump birds (5.5 in) with long thin tails. They have a rusty-brown cap and a rusty-brown stripe through their eye. Their bill is black above and yellow below and they often have a dark spot in the centre of their chest.
In spite of their name, Tree Sparrows spend their life on the ground, looking for food and building a nest.
Tree Sparrows winter farther north than other sparrows, spending their summers near the tree line in Alaska and northern Canada and their winters in the northern United States and the southern edge of Canada.
Could it be? Chipping Sparrows have a black stripe through their eye. Song Sparrows have a heavily streaked breast. House Sparrows, introduced to North America in 1851, are larger (6-6.7 in) and chunkier with a shorter tail and stouter beak.
Did you know? Tree Sparrows need to eat 30% of their body weight in food and a similar amount in water every day. A single day with no food or water is usually a death sentence.
See Also: Chipping Sparrow, House Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow
