Song sparrows are year-round residents of the Leavenworth area and frequent visitors at winter feeding stations, where they prefer seed on the ground. Rather stocky and coarsely marked, song sparrows are most easily identified by their heavily streaked breast, where broad brown streaks converge in a central breast-spot. Watch for the "twitch" of the rather long tail which is pumped in flight, the stout bill and subtle striping on the head of this warm, reddish brown, rather aggressive sparrow.

It may be more difficult to spot this bird during warmer times of the year, but you can listen for the song sparrow's wonderful song, a rich and varied warble. The male sings to define his territory from prominent perches in dense shrubs along the Icicle River or in brush piles in old orchards.

The song sparrow, nesting on the ground under a shrub or tuft of grass, has the dubious honor of being the most frequent cowbird host.