Winter Sparrows
Sparrows are the least colorful members of a large family of birds that includes cardinals and tanagers. The beautiful indigo bunting and the shy rufus-sided towhee are close relatives, too.
Sparrows are seed-eating birds that prefer open fields or grasslands with areas of thick brush nearby. They not only prefer to feed on the ground, most build their nests on or close to the ground.
Brown is the safest color of a "ground" bird, though the heads and chests of any sparrows are highlighted with colorful stripes, crown patches or spots.
Twenty-one types of sparrows can be found in some part of Missouri on a regular basis. While several sparrows nest in various parts of the state and a few merely pass through, winter is the season of choice for most of our little brown friends.
Winter is an ideal time to search out sparrows because they tend to be less shy and the absence of leaves provides easier viewing. Many different sparrows will visit a bird feeder area, while even more can be found by taking a winter stroll along the edge of an open field.
To identify a sparrow, it helps to look at specific parts of the bird to narrow your choices down quickly. First, look at the bird's body. Does the chest have stripes or is it a clear, solid color? And second, look at the bird's head. Does it have stripes, a crown patch, a white throat, or "whiskers"? 
If checking these field marks does not assure you of your identification, you can check beak and leg color and even note the way the bird acts--does it flick its tail or scratch like a chicken?
Remember, for identification purposes, look at the bird's chest and head. Does it have streaks, whiskers, or a crown patch? Does it have a central chest spot?
No one likes being lumped into a group. The next time a fox sparrow is scratching around in the leaves under your bushes, get out our binoculars and see for yourself--it's not just a "little brown bird."
Sparrow-Watching Tip
Most sparrows can be enticed out of their dense cover near the ground by a trick called "pishing." Basically, it's a sound made by mouth that sounds as if you are telling someone to "shush" or be quiet. You can also make a squeaking sound by applying your lips to the back of your hand and sucking. Large numbers of sparrows may raise up into view in unison when confronted with these strange sounds. But look quickly--when they figure you out, they will drop back down and start acting like secretive sparrows again.
