MDI Birds
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    Fox Sparrow / Passerella iliaca

    : to mid/late Mar-early Apr with to mid Apr, and again late Oct-mid Nov with from mid Oct and to early Dec. Prefers brushy tangles along wooded edges but also visits bird feeders.

    : mid Dec-late Feb, mostly at feeders but birds have overwintered in open woodlands.

    Miscellany: Fox Sparrow is one of our earliest spring migrants and its wonderful loud song emanating from still snowy woods in mid March is a rousing raiser of spirits. Listen here.

    As our part of coastal Maine warms, Fox Sparrow, along with fellow late fall migrants such as Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Winter Wren, may become more frequently reported mid Dec-Feb.

    Last Reviewed: June 7th, 2026