General

Black-chinned Sparrow: Medium-sized sparrow, mostly plain, dark gray with brown-streaked back, pale gray belly, and black chin and eyestripe. Bill is pink. Female has less black on chin. Juvenile lacks black facial markings.

Range and Habitat

Black-chinned Sparrow: Breeds from south central California east to southern Nevada and southwest Utah, south to Arizona, New Mexico, western Texas, and Mexico. Winters from coastal California, southern Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, Baja California and Mexico. Prefers desert, dense sagebrush; in the far west, prefer dry chaparral with a variety of shrubs and scrub oak.

Breeding and Nesting

Black-chinned Sparrow: Two to five light blue eggs are laid in a grass-lined cup nest well concealed in a low bush. Female incubates eggs for about 13 days.

Foraging and Feeding

Black-chinned Sparrow: Feeds on seeds and insects; forages in sage and chaparral.

Readily Eats

Safflower, Apple Slices, Suet, Millet, Peanut Kernels, Fruit

Vocalization

Black-chinned Sparrow: Song is a series of slurred notes, either "swee swee" or "chew chew chew", running together into a rapid trill.

Similar Species

Black-chinned Sparrow: Juncos have white outer tail feathers.