What type of habitat do White-crowned Sparrows prefer during the breeding season?

Answer

Open, shrubby habitats like thickets and brushy streamsides

During the period when they are establishing territories and raising young, White-crowned Sparrows show a strong preference for open environments characterized by significant shrubbery. This habitat structure includes thickets, brushy areas alongside streams, and the edges where forests meet clearings. In the western US, this often translates to higher elevation shrub zones such as sagebrush country or chaparral, providing necessary cover low to the ground for nesting.

What type of habitat do White-crowned Sparrows prefer during the breeding season?
birdfactSparrowWhite-Crowned Sparrow