Sparrows

Fox Sparrow

Passerella iliaca

A large, robust sparrow with heavily streaked and spotted underparts and a rufous tail. The Sooty subspecies found in Southeast Alaska is dark chocolate-brown overall.

Current regional viewing notes

Dense thickets, forest undergrowth, and brushy areas around Hoonah; scratches noisily in leaf litter with a two-footed hop.

Dataset note: This legacy field can be specific to Southeast Alaska/Hoonah and is not a complete statewide range statement.

Habitat

Dense thickets, forest undergrowth, and brushy coastal areas.

Diet

Insects, seeds, and berries found by scratching through leaf litter.

Natural history note

Fox Sparrows forage by "double-scratching" — they jump forward and rake both feet backward simultaneously through leaf litter to uncover hidden seeds and insects.