Harris's Sparrow
The Harris Sparrow ( Zonotrichia querula ) is a monotypic Singvogelart from the bunting family. It occurs only in the northern part of North America. It is the largest species among the Nearctic species of Zonotrichia. The IUCN classifies them as uncritical ( least concern ).
Appearance
The Harris Sparrow reaches a height 16-19 centimeters. The wingspan is 23 to 26 centimeters. The weight varies between 35 and 45 grams.
Adult Harris sparrows have a black face mask that extends from the throat over the face to the top of the head and also passes through the eye. In some individuals, a dark eye stripe extends from the eye crescent shape to the neck so that they surround the ear gray-brown stain. In most individuals, however, this strip is absent or is barely visible. The rest of the head is gray, the neck is brown. The beak is pink, the iris is brown. A thin black collar separates the head from the white underparts. A blurred remote black bib extends over the collar up on the front chest. The body is gray-brown, the coat is brown with a dark brown dashes. The feet and legs are pink, brown, pale.
Not Breeding birds keep the black face mask, the rest of the head is but a pale chestnut color. Young birds have a simple brown head. The forehead and the upper vertices are dashed dark, the throat is white with a black dash. The body underside is white or pale reddish brown with small brown spots.
Distribution area
The Harris Sparrow breeds in an area that the delta of the Mackenzie River extends to the south-west of Hudson Bay. As a habitat, the Harris - Ammer preferred forest edges, but is often also observed further north in the tundra in lush river valleys.
It is a migratory bird that overwinters in the southern United States.
Way of life
The Harris - Bunting is an omnivore. To their food range includes fruit and seeds, the needles of conifers and arthropods. During the winter months they often forms large flocks. In the breeding season the males, however, defend a breeding territory. Harris Buntings go according to the current state of knowledge a monogamous marriage season.
Harris sparrows are ground-nesting birds, the nest is no more than a flat gescharrte trough which is covered with some moss and lichens. The nest consists of three to four eggs. These have a pale to dark green color and have brown spots on. The incubation period is twelve to 14 days. It breeds only the female parent bird. The nestlings fledge after eight to ten days.