Migrating white-crowned sparrows

Adult white-crowned sparrows are distinguishable by their bold black and white stripes.  Photo by J.J. Meyer

A flock of white-crowned sparrows winter in my back yard every year.  They arrived at the end of September and they officially left April 11th, the same date as last year.  According to Cornell Lab, these  tend to return to the same area every year, so hopefully I'll see them again this fall along with their juveniles, which sport reddish brown stripes on top of the head. 

Most white-crown sparrows migrate to their spring breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska, traveling as far as 2,600 miles.  Scientists at Cornell have documented resident white-crowned sparrows along the Pacific Coast and parts of the West that do not migrate.  Please post any sightings on eBird.

Happy Birding!
J.J.