The American tree sparrow is 5-6 inches (12.7 to 15.2 cm) in length with a wingspan of 8-9 inches (20.3-22.9 cm).
It has a gray breast with a black patch and a gray belly and rump. It has a gray head with a chestnut-colored cap and chestnut-colored streaks near its eyes. It has brown wings with two white bars, a small bill, and a slightly notched tail.
The American tree sparrow and the chipping sparrow look alike, but the chipping sparrow doesn’t have the black patch on its breast.
The American tree sparrow eats seeds, berries, and insects.
The male American tree sparrow arrives at the breeding grounds first. He aggressively protects his territory. The female lays 4-6 eggs in a cup-shaped nest made of sticks, grass, and moss. The nest is made on the ground. The female incubates the eggs. Incubation takes about 12 days.
Both the male and female care for and feed the chicks. The chicks fledge (develop flight feathers) when they are about two weeks old, but they continue to be fed by their parents for a few more weeks.
Most American tree sparrows live 2-3 years in the wild.
The American tree sparrow migrates at night. There is no overlap between its breeding grounds and its winter territory.
The American tree sparrow is sometimes called the “winter chippy” because it has a rusty cap like the chipping sparrow.
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The American tree sparrow winters throughout New Hampshire.
The American tree sparrow breeds above the tree line in the tundra in northern Canada and Alaska.
It winters from southern Canada throughout most of the United States.
