Birdland

Sparrows In Winter

The American Tree Sparrow is also known as the winter sparrow, and spends the cold months farther north than any of its close relatives. These small, round-headed birds often fluff out their feathers, making their plump bodies look even chubbier. As the Cornell Lab of Ornithology notes, they are busy visitors in winter backyards and weedy, snow-covered fields. They scratch and peck the ground in small flocks, trading soft, musical twitters. These American Tree Sparrows were photographed at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal by Park Hill resident Mark Silverstein.