White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) [XC784045]
by Valerie Heemstra from Blaine, Whatcom County, Washington, United States (song)
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) [XC382747]
by Ed Pandolfino from Spring Creek, Elko County, Nevada, United States (song)
Subspecies
Genus probably close to Junco. Perhaps most closely related to Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla), with which it hybridizes. Hybrids with White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) and Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) also recorded. Coastal subspecies pugetensis and nuttalli differ from others morphologically, vocally, in breeding habitat, and in migration distance. Biologically they are dissimilar, and it has been suggested that they would be better treated as two separate species. In Canada, subspecies gambelii intergrades with oriantha in south-eastern British Columbia and with nominate in northern Manitoba.
Proposed subspecies aphaea (described from Idaho, presumably on migration) included within nominate.
The following 5 subspecies are recognised:
gambelii (Nuttall, 1840) - Breeds Alaska and western Canada (east to Nunavut and northern Manitoba, south to southern British Columbia, south-western Alberta and northern Saskatchewan. Non-breeding quarters in southern British Columbia and western USA (east to north-eastern Kansas, south to California) and Mexico (south to Nayarit, Aguascalientes and San Luis Potosí).
leucophrys (Forster, 1772) - Breeds in central and eastern Canada from northern Manitoba and northern Ontario east through northern and north-central Quebec to northern Labrador and northern Newfoundland. Winters in southern and south-eastern USA (southern from Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky and North Carolina) and northern Mexico (south to Sonora).
pugetensis Grinnell, 1928 - Breeds extreme south-western Canada (south-western British Columbia) southern along Usouthern coast to north-western California. Non-breeding south to south-western California.
nuttalli Ridgway, 1899 - Coastal and central California (from Mendocino County south to Santa Barbara County).
oriantha Oberholser, 1932 - Breeds in mountains of south-western Canada (south-eastern British Columbia, southern Alberta and south-western Saskatchewan) and western USA (northern Idaho south through south-central Oregon to central and eastern California and south-central Nevada, east to Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and central-eastern Arizona). Non-breeding south-western USA (southern California and southern Arizona east to central Texas) and Mexico (south to southern Baja California, Jalisco, Michoacán, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí and Nuevo León).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet