What characteristic motion do White-crowned Sparrows use when scratching for food on the ground?
Answer
A characteristic two-footed hop scratching backward
White-crowned Sparrows are defined as ground foragers, spending substantial time scratching through leaf litter to uncover sustenance. Their method involves a highly characteristic motion: a two-footed hop where they simultaneously kick debris backward, away from their immediate position. This backward scratching action is efficient for exposing seeds or insects buried just beneath the surface, and it is a trait shared by several other ground-feeding sparrows belonging to the *Passerellidae* family.
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