GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW. Zonotrichia coronata (Pallas)

Field characters.—Decidedly larger than Junco. Upper surface of body dull brown, streaked on back with black; under surface of body not streaked, light grayish brown, palest on belly; top of head in adults golden yellow, margined with black (pl. 8f), in immatures dull mottled brown; two rows of white spots across closed wing. Voice: Song, three clear whistled notes, in minor key, descending in pitch and suggesting the words oh dear me; both sexes utter a rather sharp single-syllabled call note.

Occurrence.—Common winter visitant to foothill and plains country (Sonoran zones) from Snelling east to El Portal; during autumn invades higher portions of west slope of Sierra Nevada, east to vicinity of McGee Lake. Stays in or near thickets. Often in loose flocks.

The brush thickets and adjacent feeding grounds which serve the Intermediate White-crowned Sparrow through the winter months are shared by another sparrow of slightly larger size and somewhat different coloration and voice, but of similar habits. This is the Golden-crowned Sparrow, another of our many winter visitants from the far north.

Our earliest seasonal record for the Golden-crowned Sparrow was made on October 2 (1915) when at least 7 adult and immature birds were seen in a coffee-berry thicket in Yosemite Valley. Thereafter, for a month or so, the species was noted in a number of places in the higher country; for example, near McGee Lake (October 5), at Aspen Valley (October 15 and 16), and above Yosemite Point (October 30). In 1914, at El Portal, these sparrows were regularly noted from November 21 to the end of December. At Pleasant Valley in 1915 the species was seen on December 3. It seems very likely that those Golden-crowns which go first into the higher zones drop down the western slope with the advent of heavy snow. They are entirely absent from Yosemite Valley during the mid-winter months. Furthermore, there is no evidence of a return to the higher zones in the spring. Like the Intermediate Sparrows the Golden-crowns continue in the foothill brush belt until they leave for their nesting grounds. They often remain in our latitude until relatively late in the spring. Thus, on May 10, 1919, near Coulterville, one was collected and the next day at least four others were noted. The bird collected, a female, was fat and contained only small ova. The first fact testified that it was in condition to begin the long northward migration to its summer habitat and to undertake the trying task of rearing its brood there, while the second indicated that it would not have begun actual nesting activities for some time. None was seen after May 11. As in the case of the Intermediate Sparrow, this regular late occurrence of the Golden-crown has resulted in some bird students believing that the species nests in California; but as far as we know there is no other ground for the belief.

The Golden-crowned Sparrow receives its name from the presence of an area of golden yellow on the top of its head. In the immature birds this area is duller and smaller and not set off by contrasted color, but in the adults the area in question is decidedly a clear yellow, bordered in front and at the sides by solid black. This pattern on the head is sufficient to distinguish the Golden-crown from either of the white-crowned sparrows and from the lark sparrow. It differs further from all of these in having a dark toned under surface. But in general behavior it closely resembles the White-crowns, staying about brush patches and taking shelter under or within these when frightened.

The song of the Golden-crowned Sparrow is distinctive. It consists of three remarkably clear whistled notes, of a minor quality, and descending in pitch from the first to the third. Often, especially in the winter months, the song, short as it is, is given incompletely, only one or two of the notes being uttered, and then with a quavering intonation. But as spring comes on, the full three syllables are given vigorously and often. On occasion the Golden-crown is heard to indulge in a 'whisper song,' which is so faint as to be heard only at a very few yards' range. This has none of the clear whistles which characterize the usual utterance, but is remindful of the song of the lark sparrow. In addition, like other crowned sparrows, the Golden-crown, when disturbed, utters sharp metallic call notes.

In foraging, these sparrows, in scattered formation, advance out from the margins of the brush patches onto open ground where they hop here and there seeking their food, which is chiefly of a vegetable nature. They feed in particular upon the green seedlings of various 'weeds.' When the birds chop up between the edges of their mandibles the sprouting succulent seedlings, the exuding juice soils their faces and not infrequently even the plumage of their breasts. After the first rains have started the new growth of annuals, the bills of the birds are quite characteristically gummed up with dried green stuff.