White-crowned Sparrow | Tucson, AZ Winter Visitor
🌵 Tucson’s Snowbird

White-crowned Sparrows arrive in the Sonoran Desert as early as late September and stay through late May.

Quick Facts:

Winter Loyalty
White-crowned Sparrows are loyal to their winter territories and are likely to return to the same areas each year.

Bilingual Songsters
Males can be bilingual, learning and using distinct song dialects from their home territory and a bordering one.

Long-Distance Travelers
These sparrows have been known to migrate over 2,600 miles from Alaska to California. During spring migration north, they average about 70 miles per day.

Fueling Up
In winter, a White-crowned Sparrow’s body holds about 3 grams of fat. Half is used up overnight and must be replaced each day.

Life Span
Bird banding records suggest an average lifespan of around 16 months. The longest known lifespan was just over 13 years.

 At a Glance:

Arrives in Tucson Late September
Departs Late May
Longest migration recorded 2,600+ miles
Spring travel pace ~70 miles per day
Average lifespan ~16 months
Record lifespan 13+ years