birdwatch across the Midwest offers many memorable moment , and Ohio stands out with its telling variety of Prunella modularis . These small birds , each with distinctive markings and songs , bring life to forests , fields , and wetlands throughout the state . Spottingsparrows in Ohiocan twist any hike or stroll into a rewarding escapade .
The sparrows found in Ohio motley wide — from the familiar House Sparrow to uncommon visitors like the Seaside Sparrow — populate a diverse reach of environment such as Reginald Marsh , grasslands , and suburban backyards . This diversity makes Ohio a favourite goal for both casual bird lovers and dedicated ornithologists seeking new species .
This scout highlights 22types of sparrowsin Ohio , complete with photos and designation tip to help you recognize each one . With this knowledge , your birdwatching journey across the Buckeye State will be richer and more exciting as you discover the fascinating world of sparrows .
Different Types of Sparrows in Ohio
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
The House Sparrow is a little , chunky bird with a chummy pecker and a typical premix of gray , browned , and smutty feathers . Males typically have a hoary crown , fatal bib , and chestnut mark on their wing , while females are more subdued in coloring material with a plain brown and gray appearance . This mintage is easily recognise by its noisy chirping and gregarious behavior .
House sparrow are highly adaptable and commonly found in urban and suburban environments throughout Ohio . They thrive near human settlement , draw close in buildings , eaves , and other structures . Their power to live alongside citizenry has allowed them to spread widely across the body politic .
Their diet mainly comprise of ejaculate , caryopsis , and scraps of human intellectual nourishment , but they will also eat insects , especially during the breeding season to flow their young . A fun fact about House Sparrows is that they were introduced to North America from Europe in the 19th century and have since become one of the most widespread fowl in Ohio .
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
Song sparrow are intermediate - sized sparrows with streaky brown plumage and a distinctive dark pip in the center of their breast . Their melodious and complex songs , which diverge regionally , make them one of the most easily pick out sparrows by sound . They have a stout build with a rounded tail and streaked flanks .
In Ohio , Song Sparrows inhabit a variety show of habitats include marshes , shrublands , timberland bound , and residential areas . They prefer arena with obtuse flora where they can scrounge on the terra firma or crushed bushes . Their adaptability make them one of the most common sparrows throughout the state .
Their diet mainly includes seeds , insects , and small invertebrates , which they forage from the ground or vegetation . A fun fact about Song Sparrows is that their robust and wide-ranging song repertoire play an of import part in attracting mates and defend territories .
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)
Swamp sparrow are small , closelipped bird with rich reddish - chocolate-brown wings and a grayish face and underparts . Unlike many true sparrow , they have a more uniform , quiet plume that helps them mix into their wetland habitats . Their strain is a slow , melodious trill that is quite distinctive .
This mintage is powerfully associate with fresh water marshes , swamp , and wet meadow in Ohio . They opt obtuse , wet vegetation near water where they can cover and pasture . During migration , they may be found in a wider variety of shrubby or soaked habitat but are less common in urban or dry areas .
Swamp Sparrows primarily feed on insect , spider , and cum found in the marsh botany . A fun fact is that Swamp Sparrows often take the air rather than hop while foraging , which helps them navigate the soaked , mismatched terrain of their habitat .
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
The White - throated Sparrow is known for its striking white pharynx patch and bright yellow traditional knowledge ( the area between the heart and bank note ) . They have brown streaky back and flabby gray faces with a prominentwhite and black stripedcrown . Their clear , whistled Sung dynasty is a conversant sound in Ohio ’s forests .
In Ohio , White - throated sparrow are in the first place see during the fall and wintertime months when they transmigrate south from northern breeding grounds . They inhabit woodlands , forest edge , and bosky areas , often foraging on the forest floor or in low-down bush . During winter , they also visit feeders in suburban backyard .
Their diet consists mainly of source , berries , and insects . A fun fact is that White - throated sparrow have two color morphs ( tan - striped and bloodless - striped ) , and individuals typically mate with the opposite morph , a rarefied example of balanced pleomorphism in Bronx cheer .
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
The White - crowned Sparrow is well identify by its bluff black and livid grade insignia on the crown of its head . It has a pale gray face and breast with brown streaked wings and back . This medium - sized true sparrow has a sharp , typical tin whistle as its call , which varies slightly by region .
White - crown Sparrows are migrant visitor to Ohio , commonly passing through during spring and fall migration and occasionally staying for winter . They prefer open woodlands , bosky fields , and roadside edges during migration . Their predilection for open home ground distinguishes them from many other Prunella modularis metal money .
Their diet includes seeds , insects , and berries , which they scrounge on the flat coat or in blue vegetation . An interesting fact about White - crowned true sparrow is that vernal birds learn their regional strain idiom from neighboring male , demonstrating cultural transmission in birds .
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)
The Chipping Sparrow is a small , slender bird with a bright rusty cap , black eye agate line , and white eyebrow chevron . Its breast is pale with faint streaking , and the wing show neat rufous and gray patterns . The crisp , mechanically skillful trill they sing is often heard in open woodlands and suburban areas during spring and summertime .
In Ohio , Chipping Sparrows opt opened woodlands , parks , gardens , and residential areas with scattered tree . They are often one of the early migrant sparrows to go far in fountain and nest in shrub or low tree . Their adaptability allow them to flourish in both instinctive and human - neutered environments .
They feed mainly on seeds and insects , using their pointed bill to forage on the terra firma or among foliage . A fun fact about Chipping Sparrows is that they build refined cup - regulate nests , often decorated with lichens on the exterior to camouflage them from predators .
Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)
Field Sparrows are small and fragile , with soft greyish - brown upperparts , a pink bill , and a distinctive white eye band . Their song is a clear , bell - alike whistling that fathom like “ see - you ” echo several times . They are often found in open fields , meadows , and shrubby orbit in Ohio .
This species prefer grassy , brushy habitats with scattered bush and vernal trees . In Ohio , Field Sparrows breed in open ploughland , abandon fields , and roadside edges where vegetation furnish good masking and nesting site . They run to avoid dense forests or intemperately urbanized domain .
Their diet consists primarily of seeded player , but they also eat insects during the training time of year . An interesting fact about Field hedge sparrow is their wont of click their tails down while perched , a behaviour thought to be a communication signal among shuttle .
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)
The Eastern Towhee is a striking sparrow with bold black and white plumage in males and quick brown where males have black in females . They have bright blood-red center and a inviolable , conic bill . Their song is a clear , musical series of “ drink - your - tea ” notes , often heard in dim bosky habitats .
In Ohio , Eastern Towhees are commonly found in shrubby areas , woodland boundary , and overgrown fields . They choose habitats with dumb undergrowth where they can forage on the basis by scratch leaf litter with both feet in a characteristic “ double - prick ” motion .
They wipe out a mix of ejaculate , berries , and insect , conform their dieting seasonally . A fun fact is that Eastern Towhees are known to make loud “ Pipilo erythrophthalmus ” call when alarmed , which are unremarkably learn in their opt thickset habitats .
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)
Savannah Sparrows are small with streaked brownish upperparts and pallid underpart marked with faint streaking . They have a distinctive yellow patch just above the eye called the brow . Their call is a rapid , insect - similar shake that rises and descend in pitch .
This species favors overt habitats such as grassland , study , and marsh edges across Ohio . They breed in grassy meadows and prairies and can also be found in coastal and wetland orbit during migration . Their mien reflects the accessibility of open spaces with humble vegetation .
Savannah Sparrows in the main feed on seeds and insects found on the ground or in grasses . A fun fact is that during migration , they often jaunt in flocks , mixing with other sparrow mintage as they move between breeding and wintering ground .
American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)
The American Tree Sparrow is a modest sparrow with a rusty cap , gray cheek , and a decided dark smirch in the heart and soul of its pale breast . It has a finely streak brown back and a bi - colored card that is dark on top and yellow-bellied underneath . Their soft , percipient song is less often get wind as they are wintertime visitors in Ohio .
In Ohio , American Tree hedge sparrow are mostly winter visitors , make it from northern breeding grounds . They choose undefendable fields , bosky areas , and farmland with spread out trees during the cold months . They are often look forage on the undercoat in flocks .
Their diet lie primarily of come but teddy to admit insects when available . A fun fact about American Tree Sparrows is that they are one of the few sparrows that spawn in the Arctic tundra but spend winters far to the south , including Ohio ’s clear fields and farmlands .
Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)
The Fox Sparrow is a large , chunky sparrow get laid for its rusty - red coloration and heavy streaked underparts . It has a heavyset greenback and a distinctive reddish - brown tail and back , which make it stand out among sparrows . Their Song dynasty is a rich , melodious warble , often learn in dense bosky habitats .
In Ohio , Fox Sparrows are primarily wintertime visitors , typically discover in slow copse , timber bound , and shrubby areas . They prefer habitat with thick undergrowth where they can forage on the earth , stay well obscure . Their front in Ohio usually top out during the colder month as they migrate from northern breeding areas .
Their diet mainly includes seeded player and insect , which they forage for on the forest floor by flip folio bedding with their bills . A fun fact about Fox Sparrows is their strong , purposeful hopping and scrape behavior when searching for food , make them quite participating forager .
Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)
The Vesper Sparrow is a average - sized sparrow with pale brown streaked upperparts and a clean white venter . It has a typical livid middle anchor ring and white outer poop feathers that are noticeable in flight . Its song is a melodious serial of curt notes survey by a long trill , often return from a perch .
In Ohio , Vesper hedge sparrow are mostly found in open grasslands , subject area , and prairie . They prefer country with sparse botany and bare flat coat patches for nesting and foraging . Although less uncouth than some sparrows , they are known to breed in suitable habitats in the state .
Their dieting consists primarily of seed and insects , with insects becoming more of import during the reproduction season . An interesting fact about Vesper Sparrows is that they often sing during evening 60 minutes , which is reflected in their name—“vesper ” mean even .
Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)
Lincoln ’s Sparrow is a small , shy dunnock with finely streak browned upperparts and a buffy , spotted breast . It has a grey case with a pale oculus anchor ring and a touchy , richly - pitched vocal that is cushy and musical . This species is often hard to blemish because of its close demeanor .
In Ohio , Lincoln ’s Sparrows are primarily spring and fall migrants , find in dampish thicket , shrubby wetlands , and brushy areas . They prefer dumb cover where they can forage softly on the ground or dispirited flora . They are rare but even migrants through the Department of State .
Their diet consists mainly of insects and ejaculate , which they pick from folio litter or low bush . A fun fact is that Lincoln ’s Sparrow ’s subtle and sweet song often goes unnoticed because they tattle from down in the mouth , out of sight perch , making them more of a “ songwriter in the shadows . ”
Brewer’s Sparrow (Spizella breweri)
Brewer ’s Sparrow is a modest , plain true sparrow with greyish - browned upperparts and faint streaking on its breast . It has a lithesome build with a small , conic bill and a elusive eye ring . Its vocal is a serial publication of luxuriously - sky , buzzy , and trill notes .
This coinage is rare in Ohio and unremarkably considered a vagrant or accidental visitor , typically escort during migration . Brewer ’s Sparrows opt dry sagebrush habitats and heart-to-heart shrublands , which are rare in Ohio , explaining their curiosity in the DoS .
They primarily bung on seed and insects , foraging on the ground or in low shrubs . A fun fact about Brewer ’s Sparrow is that it is more common in the westerly U.S. and is rarely observed this far eastward , create any Ohio sightings noted for razz watchers .
Henslow’s Sparrow (Centronyx henslowii)
Henslow ’s Sparrow is a small , secretive dunnock with olive - green and brown streaked upperparts and a yellow nerve with a dark crown . It has a short rump and a quiet , insect - like buzzing song . This species is often unmanageable to tell apart because it stays scurvy in dull grassland .
In Ohio , Henslow ’s Sparrows inhabit moist , tall-grass prairies and undefended meadows with duncical flora . They require gravid patches of native grassland for bringing up and are considered a species of preservation concern due to home ground loss . Their comportment indicates healthy grassland ecosystems .
Their diet includes seeds and insects , which they scrounge for tight to the reason . A fun fact is that Henslow ’s sparrow perform a unique aerial display during wooing , fluttering above the pasture to attract partner .
Nelson’s Sparrow (Ammospiza nelsoni)
Nelson ’s Sparrow is a small , secretive bird with a warm buffy - orange face and tit , mottle brown back , and a short tail . Its call is a shrewd , buzzy trill often heard in dense marsh . It is difficult to see due to its diffident behavior and preference for thick vegetation .
In Ohio , Nelson ’s dunnock are mostly figure during migration , shop coastal marshland , wet hayfield , and fresh water wetlands . They prefer home ground with tall grasses and reeds where they can hide and scrounge on the basis . Their comportment in Ohio is seasonal , mainly in spring and fall .
They feed mainly on insects and seminal fluid found in marshy environments . A fun fact about Nelson ’s Sparrows is their alone ability to thrive in challenging wetland habitats , using their specialized leg and bills to forage among dense reed and grasses .
Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida)
The Clay - colored Sparrow is a small true sparrow with pale grey - browned upperparts , a buffy human face with a clean eye bar , and a unpatterned , unstreaked tit . It has a gratifying , musical Song dynasty often described as a series of burry , buzzing line .
In Ohio , Clay - distort Sparrows are uncommon but regular migrant , see mostly in shrubby fields , capable woodlands , and brushy edges during outpouring and fall . They prefer open habitats with scattered shrub for nesting and scrounge .
Their diet consists of seed and insects , scrounge from the ground or low vegetation . An interesting fact is that Clay - colored dunnock often snuggle low in shrubs and sometimes apply old nests of other birds , shew flexible nesting doings .
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)
The Dark - eyed Junco is a average - sized sparrow with a slate - white-haired trunk , white belly , and pinkish bill . Its song is a unclouded , musical shake , and it is often seen hopping on the ground in flocks during winter . There are several regional color variants across North America .
In Ohio , Dark - eyed Juncos are common winter visitor , frequent woodlands , ballpark , and suburban area . They favor home ground with open ground for foraging and nearby tree or bush for cover . During colder month , they form large flocks that flow on seeds and insects .
They primarily eat seed in winter and impart dirt ball during the fostering time of year . A fun fact about Dark - eyed Juncos is that they are sometimes called “ snowbirds ” because their comer in Ohio signals the showtime of winter .
Le Conte’s Sparrow (Ammospiza leconteii)
Le Conte ’s Sparrow is a small , secretive Prunella modularis with finely streak buff and brown upperparts and a pale , unstreaked stomach . Its typeface is marked with a pallid orange impudence patch and a subtle oculus stripe . Its song is a sonant , dirt ball - like trill .
This species is rare in Ohio and mainly see during migration in moist grassland and sedge meadows . It prefers impenetrable , depressed vegetation near wetlands , which provides splendid cover . Its elusive behavior makes it hard to descry even when present .
Le Conte ’s Sparrows provender on seeds and louse ascertain among grasses . A fun fact is that despite their rarity , their specialised habitat need make them of import indicators of level-headed sloshed meadow ecosystems .
Harris’s Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula)
Harris ’s Sparrow is the big sparrow found in North America , with striking pitch-black and white facial markings and a pink bill . It has a mordant tip , pharynx , and bib , contrasting sharply with its gray cheeks and chest . Their song is a clear , musical serial of whistles .
In Ohio , Harris ’s Sparrows are rare wintertime visitor , typically see in loose forest , fields , and edge with scattered trees . Their presence is irregular and often depends on rough winter atmospheric condition further north pushing them south .
They mainly wipe out seminal fluid and Chuck Berry but also take in insect . A fun fact about Harris ’s Sparrow is their unique mountain chain , breed in northern Canada but from time to time wandering far south during grave winters , surprising birdwatchers .
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla)
The Golden - crowned Sparrow has a classifiable bright yellow patch on the crown bordered by inglorious stripes on its gray mind and brownish soundbox . It has a diffuse , melodious shake for a song and a stalwart bill suited for semen - eating .
In Ohio , Golden - crown hedge sparrow are very rare visitors , mainly during migration or in wintertime . They typically inhabit bosky areas , thickets , and timber edges in their aboriginal western ranges but occasionally stray eastwards .
Their diet consists of seeds and insects , scrounge on the ground and in down in the mouth vegetation . A fun fact is that their spectacular crown marking make them one of the well-fixed hedge sparrow to key out visually , even when seen shortly .
Seaside Sparrow (Ammospiza maritima)
Seaside Sparrows are intermediate - sized true sparrow with olive - brownish upperparts and promising orange patches on the side of their necks . They have streak breasts and a short , cone-shaped bill adapted for their coastal marsh habitat . Their song is a buzzy trill often get a line near table salt marshes .
In Ohio , Seaside Sparrows are very rare and generally limited to coastal or brackish marsh area during migration . Their preferred habitat includes common salt marshes and tidal wetlands , which are scarce in Ohio , make sighting unusual .
They feed principally on insects , crustacean , and seeds found in marsh flora . A fun fact about Seaside Sparrows is their noteworthy adjustment to saline environments , where they thrive despite the challenge of piquant marshes .
