Are you from Ohio? Do you like sparrows? Sparrows are interesting creatures, and there are many different kinds of them in Ohio! Here is a list of the different types of sparrows in Ohio, along with some interesting facts about each one.
23 Sparrows in Ohio
Here are 23 facts about sparrows in Ohio that you may not know.
1. House Sparrow
The house sparrow is a common bird found in many parts of the world, including Ohio. The house sparrow is a small bird belonging to the sparrow family Passeridae, with a typical length of 16 cm and a mass of 24–39.5 g. Females and young birds are pale brown and grey, while males have brighter black, white, and brown markings.
2. White-throated Sparrow
The white-throated sparrow is a common bird found in Ohio. It is a small bird with brown and gray plumage. The male has a black throat and belly, while the female has a brown throat and belly. These birds are often seen near human habitation, feeding on seeds and insects.
3. Chipping Sparrow
The chipping sparrow gets its name from the sharp “chip” call it makes throughout the day while foraging and interacting with other birds. They also have a single-noted trill song. Singing is made by males during breeding season from a perch all through the day.
4. Field Sparrow
The field sparrow (also known as the Carolina sparrow) is a small passerine from the Passerellidae family. It has a length of 140 mm and weighs about 12.5 grams. The head is grey with a rusty crown, white eye-ring, and pink bill. Brown streaked with black and buff on top, buff on the breast, white on the belly, forked tail.
5. Vesper Sparrow
The vesper sparrow is a medium-sized sparrow with streaked brown upperparts and white underparts. The head has a rusty crown and nape, white eyebrow, dark moustache stripe, and yellowish bill. Wings are brown with two white bars. The tail is forked and has rusty-brown edges.
6. Tree Sparrow
The tree sparrow is a small passerine bird from the sparrow family Passeridae. It has a rusty cap, whitish cheeks and chin, black breast-band, and pale buff underparts. The wings are brown with two white bars. The tail is short and notched.
7. Song Sparrow
The song sparrow is a small bird with streaked brown upperparts and buff underparts. The head has a gray cap, white eyebrows, and dark streaks on the throat and breast. Wings are brown with two white bars. The tail is short and notched. The song is a series of trills and chips.
8. Lincoln’s Sparrow
The Lincoln’s sparrow is a small passerine native to North America that loves to stay hidden under thick ground cover. If you’re lucky enough to spot one, you can tell it apart from other birds by its sweet, wrenlike song.
The Lincoln’s sparrow has a gray-brown back with gray sides, a light brown breast with dark streaks, and a white belly. Its face is gray-brown with a light-colored eyebrow and a streaked throat.
9. Swamp Sparrow
The swamp sparrow is a medium-sized sparrow that ranges in size from 5.5 to 6.7 inches. It has a brown back with rusty streaks, gray sides, buff-colored breast with dark streaks, and white belly.
The face is gray-brown with a light eyebrow and streaked throat. The swamp sparrow is found in wet habitats such as marshes and swamps.
10. Fox Sparrow
The fox sparrow is a large sparrow with streaked brown upperparts and rusty-orange underparts. The face is gray-brown with a rusty cap, white eyebrow, and streaked throat. Wings are brown with two white bars. The tail is long and notched.
11. Eastern Towhee
The eastern towhee is a large sparrow with black upperparts, red eyes, and white underparts. The face is black with a white eyebrow and streaked throat. Wings are black with two white bars.
Eastern Towhees breed in Ohio from March to October, but some remain all year in the southern part of the state. They appear on 19% of summer checklists and 3% of winter checklist submissions.
12. White-crowned Sparrow
The white-crowned sparrow is a type of bird that comes from North America. It’s part of the New World sparrow family, and it has a light grey face with black and white stripes on its upper head.
13. Harris’s Sparrow
The Harris’s sparrow is a large sparrow with a chocolate-brown back and white underparts. The face is gray-brown with a rusty cap, white eyebrow, and streaked throat. Wings are brown with two white bars. The tail is long and notched.
14. Savannah Sparrow
Savannah’s Sparrows are small birds that fly low to the ground and travel short distances. They’re usually seen walking on the ground searching for insects, as well as running down their prey. Male Savannah’s Sparrows from perches, such as fences. It begins with a few high-pitched sounds, then a buzzy sound, and ends in a low trill.
15. Grasshopper Sparrow
You’ll likely find Grasshopper Sparrows close to the ground in fields and other flat areas because they don’t fly often, preferring instead to run or walk. Similarly, their nests are on the ground too in tall patches of grass. So next time you’re out for a leisurely stroll through a field, keep an eye out for these critters!
16. American Pipit
The unusual gait of the American Pipit allows it to walk and search for food on snowfields and mucky ground. They’ll sometimes wade into shallow water in order to hunt insect larvae. The distinctive way the American Pipit strides makes it easy to identify. It walks around fast with a proud stance, jerking its head forward like how chickens do.
17. Lapland Longspur
Lapland Longspurs inhabit open, treeless areas only. You’re most likely to spot them in the arctic tundra where they breed or the high-elevation alpine tundra of Alaska’s mountain ranges. In the other parts of the year, they’ll take up residence anywhere there is short grass or bare ground.
18. Smith’s Longspur
Smith’s Longspurs are gregarious birds that often form large flocks. They can be found in a variety of habitats including tundra, meadows, fields, and even roadsides. These longspurs tend to forage on the ground in open areas where they can see their surroundings.
19. Snow Bunting
The Snow Bunting nesters in frigid regions high in the Arctic. They create their nests in deep fissures of rocks and use a thick fur covering to keep the eggs warm. They never leave the nest, ensuring that it remains comfortably warm, and the male comes and feeds the mother every fifteen minutes or so.
20. Bobolink
The Bobolink is a small blackbird with a white back and rusty wings. The face is black with a white eyebrow and streaked throat. Wings are brown with two white bars. The tail is long and notched.
Bobolinks breed in Ohio from May to August, but some remain all year in the southern part of the state. They appear on 1% of summer checklists and 3% of winter checklist submissions.
21. American Goldfinch
The American goldfinch is a small, sprightly bird with a wingspan of about eight inches. The male has a yellow body with black wings and tail, while the female is more drab, with a greenish-yellow body and brown wings. Both sexes have a white rump and black cap. Goldfinches are often seen in flocks feeding on thistle seeds.
American goldfinches breed in Ohio from May to August, but some remain all year in the southern part of the state. They appear on 2% of summer checklists and 5% of winter checklist submissions.
22. Evening Grosbeak
The evening grosbeak is a large finch with a wingspan of up to 16 inches. It has a yellow body with black wings and tail, and a prominent white wingbar. The head is black with a large, conical bill. Evening grosbeaks are gregarious birds that often form flocks. They can be found in a variety of habitats including forests, meadows, and even roadsides.
23. House Finch
The house finch is a small, sparrow-like bird with a wingspan of about eight inches. The male has a reddish body with brown streaks, while the female is more drab, with a brown body and streaked wings. Both sexes have a brown tail with white bars. House finches are often seen in pairs or small flocks feeding on seeds.
House finches breed in Ohio from May to August, but some remain all year in the southern part of the state. They appear on 2% of summer checklists and 5% of winter checklist submissions.
Does It Mean Anything When a Sparrow Visits You?
The sparrow is a symbol of courage and precaution. By welcoming this spirit guide into your life, you unlock talent, intelligence, and creativity. And above all else, the Sparrow reminds you that happiness should always be your number one priority.
Are Sparrows Friendly?
While different sparrow species have different personalities, in general, sparrows are not particularly friendly birds. They are social creatures that live in flocks, but they don’t generally interact with humans.
What Do Sparrows Eat?
Sparrows eat a variety of things depending on the season and their location. In the spring and summer, they eat mostly insects. In the fall and winter, they eat mostly seeds.
How Long Do Sparrows Live?
The average lifespan of a sparrow is about 2 to 3 years, but some have been known to live up to 10 years in captivity.