Test Your Sparrow ID Skills

Chipping and American Tree Sparrows can be challenging to tell apart, sharing similar sizes, rusty caps (in breeding plumage), and soft brown plumage. These sparrows share many characteristics, making them tricky to tell apart at first glance. The usual marker—a breast spot on the Tree Sparrow—is not always reliable. Try our ID keys and Bird Academy’s Snap ID tool to master these subtle differences!

A small bird with a rusty cap, white belly, and patterned wings perched on a thin branch.
Adult American Tree Sparrow
Image: Frédérick Lelièvre | Macaulay Library
A small bird with a rusty cap, streaked back, and pale belly perched on a slender branch.
Adult Chipping Sparrow
Image: Will Bennett | Macaulay Library
ID ClueAmerican Tree SparrowChipping Sparrow
BreastBlack spot, sometimes hiddenUnmarked
EyelineRusty stripeBlack stripe
BillBicolored bill, dark upper bill, yellow lower billPinkish bill in winter, black in breeding season
LegsDark, grayish back.Light, whitish back.
SizePlumper, slightly largerSmall, delicate

Sometimes lighting and angles make these details a challenge to spot. Test your skills in the quiz below—each play gives you new photos to check out. Click “Start Snap ID Challenge” to get started!

Test Your Sparrow ID Skills

American Tree Sparrow
Matthew Plante | Macaulay Library
Practice makes identification a snap.
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Sparrow ID can be tricky, especially when Chipping and American Tree Sparrows look similar and occupy the same areas. Since plumage differences vary by season and the Tree Sparrow’s breast spot can be unreliable, focus on multiple key ID clues like eyeline, leg, and bill color.

A small bird with a rusty cap, grayish belly, and patterned wings standing on a rocky surface.
Chipping Sparrow (Breeding Plumage)
Image: Jacob Garvelink | Macaulay Library
A small bird with a rusty cap, grayish belly, and patterned wings standing on a forest floor covered in dried leaves.
American Tree Sparrow (Breeding Plumage)
Image: Matthew Dolkart | Macaulay Library
A small bird with a rusty cap, grayish belly, and patterned wings sitting on snow, with a few scattered twigs in the background.
Chipping Sparrow (Nonbreeding Plumage)
Image: Michael O’Brien | Macaulay Library
A small bird with a rusty cap, grayish belly, and patterned wings standing on snow, holding a seed in its beak.
American Tree Sparrow (Nonbreeding Plumage)
Image: Brian Stahls | Macaulay Library

Ready to master sparrow identification? Our self-paced online course, Be a Better Birder: Sparrow Identification, will help you confidently distinguish these tricky brown birds. Learn about sparrow diversity, key ID features like color patterns and markings, behavior, sounds, and habitat preferences. You’ll also dive deep into widespread species across North America, making it easier to identify sparrows wherever you bird. Try a free sample lesson and take your sparrow ID skills to the next level!