NatureCounts - The State of Canada's Birds

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Zonotrichia atricapilla

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Summary Population Trends Population Goals

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The State of Canada's Birds is presented in partnership by Environment and Climate Change Canada and Birds Canada.

The Golden-crowned Sparrow's distinctive crown of black stripes and a golden centre can be raised to show aggression towards other birds. Its distinctive whistled song is sometimes approximated as oh dear me, and is sung from an elevated perch throughout the year.

Summary

National

Trend

Moderate Increase

Confidence: Medium

Goal

Within Goal Range

The Golden-crowned Sparrow breeds in subalpine areas of Alaska and western Canada, and winters along the Pacific coast from southern British Columbia to California. Approximately 840,000 individuals breed in Canada, representing 11% of the global population and a low degree of responsibility for Canada. However, another 6.7 million are estimated to breed in Alaska and migrate to or though Canada, boosting the proportion to nearly 100%, which corresponds to very high responsibility. It is most effectively monitored in winter through the Christmas Bird Count, which indicates a moderate increase relative to 1970. Confidence in this assessment is only medium because the CBC is not well standardized. The national population of Golden-crowned Sparrow is within its goal range.

Migration Strategy

Short-distance

Canadian Responsibility

Very High

Population Estimates

Breeding 3,000,000

Annual 7,500,000

Global 7,500,000

Population Trends

Only the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) provides at least moderate coverage of the Golden-crowned Sparrow population, as there are very few Breeding Bird Survey routes within its breeding range. At the continental scale, the CBC shows that the population has nearly doubled since 1970, although numbers have largely plateaued over the past decade. The CBC is not highly standardized, and there is a possibility that the trend in part reflects a growing use of backyard feeders by this species. Confidence in the increase is therefore only medium, but it is still very likely that the population has at worst experienced little change relative to 1970.

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Population Goals

The goal for Golden-crowned Sparrow is to remain at or above its recent population level, based on the Christmas Bird Count. Trend data show that Golden-crowned Sparrow is currently within its goal range.

National

Canada

Population Goal

Maintain recent abundance

Population status relative to goal

Within Goal Range

Goal is based on Christmas Bird Count

Designations