306 USEFUL BIRDS. 
Tree Sparrow. Winter Chippy. 
Spizella monticola. 
Length. — About six inches. 
Adult. — Crown chestnut; line over eye dull white; line through eye dark (not 
black); back bay, black-streaked; tail dusky, with light edgings; two 
prominent white wing bars; below, whitish; side of head, throat, and 
upper breast tinted with ash ; breast with a central dusky spot; lower breast 
and sides tinged with pale brownish. 
Season. — October to April. 
The Tree Sparrow is a common winter resident of most 
parts of the State. The species is almost as regular in ap- 
pearance as the Junco, but not so plentiful. Though called 
the Tree Sparrow, it is largely a 
ground Sparrow while in Massa- 
chusetts. Wherever it can find a 
plentiful supply of food and good 
shelter it remains throughout the 
winter, unless driven south by 
snows so deep as to cover its food 
supply. It frequents thickets on 
Fig. 13°7.—TTreeSparrow,about the sheltered side of hills, near 
one-half neyuralisizg: swamps, meadows, or weedy fields. 
In such fields it often feeds far from bushy cover, but flies 
quickly to the thicket upon the approach of danger. 
This species usually goes in flocks, and individuals are not 
commonly seen alone; although a single bird may some- 
times be found with a flock of Juncos. It feeds mainly on 
the ground, and picks up the seeds of weeds as they fall. 
A snowfall merely brings the birds nearer the tops of the 
weeds, and so long as there is plenty of seed they are as 
happy as the Snowbirds. They can climb about among 
the stronger weed stalks, clinging like a Goldfinch. Often 
two birds may be seen feeding from a single weed, while 
another hops about on the snow below, gleaning the seeds 
that fall.. This species follows the Juncos into weedy vege- 
table gardens, and flocks about farms and haystacks to pick 
up seeds. The Tree Sparrows are among the few birds 
that can “look our winters in the face and sing.” They 
are occasionally heard singing in November and December 
