Species-Specific Management (SSM)

White-Crowned Sparrow

For managing the white-crowned sparrow, (Zonotrichia leucophrys), the fundamentals of wildlife management must be kept in mind, namely manipulating animal, population and habitat to increase, stabilize, or decrease animal population to achieve human benefits:

1. Manipulating animals.
   1. Consider that food, cover, water, and nesting are very important for this species.
   2. The sparrow is highly dependent on water, therefore you have to manipulate the animal through water supply.
   3. Remember that this species inhabits its breeding ground from April to September with females laying eggs 2 or 3 times during this period.
   4. To control the size of the population occupying the area you have to remove any open space and brush cover.
   5. The sparrow has the ability to use fresh and salt water.
2. Manipulating people.
   1. Educate and inform people about the sparrow's function in the ecosystem (insect regulator).
   2. Educate and inform people to avoid human encroachment into the sparrow's natural habitat, and create nesting sites where and when possible.
   3. Make sure that using insecticides and other chemicals will not destroy the sparrow or its habitat and food.
   4. You must convince policy makers, planners, and decision makers to consider that the sparrows are a part of the ecosystem.
3. Manipulating habitat.
   1. Provide a food supply such as pigweed and hackberry.
   2. Create a nesting area on open bare ground.
   3. Remember that when two flocks occupy the same general area, their feeding grounds do not overlap.
   4. Provide cover and food. Examples are: seeds, buds, grass, pigweed, and hackberry.
   5. The sparrow avidly feeds on arthropods, ants, caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, bugs, and spiders. Habitat has to be managed to favor these animals.
   6. The habitat must contain plant food such as oats, bristlegrass, panicgrass, smartweed, goosefoot, pigweed, sunflower, and knotweed.
   7. In addition to trees and shrubs you have to know that rock ledges and cliffs can provide alternative cover and protection.
   8. Remember that water is crucial for the sparrow.

A contribution by Moumar Gueye (1993), Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0321

Contribution by Kevin Cox.

This Web site is maintained by R. H. Giles, Jr.
Last revision January 17, 2000.