White-Crowned Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) is a medium-sized bird native to North America. They are brown- and gray, with black and white streaks on their head. Unlike migratory populations of the same species, many Bay Area white crowns stay year-round. They are known for their songs unique to specifc places, with distinct regional "dialects". Researchers are studying how increasing urban noise is impacting the sparrows' songs.