Male and female plumage similar. Breeding plumage is more crisp and defined, non-breeding plumage is paler and muted. Throat, breast, belly an ash-colored gray, back more brown than gray. Fine streaking on the crown of the head, with a black stripe through the eye and a noticeable malar stripe. A faint, incomplete eye-ring visible with binoculars. Tail feathers slightly forked.

Male and female plumage similar. Breeding plumage is more crisp and defined, non-breeding plumage is paler and muted. Throat, breast, belly an ash-colored gray, back more brown than gray. Fine streaking on the crown of the head, with a black stripe through the eye and a noticeable malar stripe. A faint, incomplete eye-ring visible with binoculars. Tail feathers slightly forked.

Uncommon in winter, fairly common in spring and fall during migration.

A ground feeding species that frequently occurs in mixed flocks with other ground-feeding seed-eaters such as Dark-eyed Juncos, Chipping Sparrows and White-crowned Sparrows.

Seeds, insects

Most likely to be confused with Chipping Sparrows in non-breeding plumage.

Pioneer Park, Acker Park.