Passerella iliaca
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10%
The fox sparrow (Passerella iliaca) is a large New World sparrow. It is the only member of the genus Passerella, although some authors split the species into four (see below). Major taxonomic authorities currently differ in their treatment of the fox sparrow complex. The IOC World Bird List/Birds of the World: Recommended English Names and the HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World treat each of the four subspecies groups as a separate species, while eBird/The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World and The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World currently treat the complex as a single species.
More specific information regarding plumage is available in the accounts for the various taxa. Adults are among the largest New World sparrows, heavily spotted and streaked underneath. All feature a messy central breast spot though this is less noticeable on the thick billed and slate-colored varieties. Plumage varies markedly from one group to another.
Measurements: Length: 15–19 cm (5.9–7.5 in) Wingspan: 26.7–29 cm (10.5–11.4 in) Weight: 26–44 g (0.92–1.55 oz) Fox sparrows are a... Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vancouver | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Seattle | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Portland | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 8 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Tijuana | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 10 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Fox Sparrow sighting in Death Valley National Park on a given day, based on 24 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 157th most-seen of the 213 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Fox Sparrow in Death Valley National Park on a given day, against under 5% in October and December–August, the lowest months. That is one of Death Valley National Park's driest months, with about 5 mm of rain against 30 mm in March.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Fox Sparrow sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
22nd of 29
Of the 29 parks where we can rate Fox Sparrow sightings, Death Valley National Park ranks 22nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Gros Morne National Park (Canada, about 50%), Pacific Rim National Park Reserve (Canada, about 40%) and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (United States, about 30%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Passerellidae
The closest relatives of the Fox Sparrow that you can see in Death Valley National Park (family Passerellidae, New World Sparrows) are White-crowned Sparrow (about 50%), Song Sparrow (about 30%) and Lincoln's Sparrow (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Fox Sparrow is recorded against all the birds logged in Death Valley National Park (24 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
