Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)
(c) Blake Ross, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Blake Ross · CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab) · iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)
BirdsIn Cuyahoga County, Ohio

Fox Sparrow

Passerella iliaca (Merrem, 1786)

Fox Sparrow in all of Ohio
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Genus
Passerella
Near Cuyahoga County

Range

Where it is recorded

Season shown in 0 of Ohio's 88 counties. Its mapped range covers 88. Explore Ohio

  • No result yet (0)
  • Within its mapped range (43)
  • Recorded, too few records for a result (40)
  • Recorded, season not shown (5)
  • Season shown (0)
Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Cartographic Boundary Files, 1:500,000. Range: USGS Gap Analysis Project, Species Range Maps CONUS_2001 (2018). Show as a table
Counties as a table
Fox Sparrow by Ohio county: records and mapped range
CountyRecordsIn mapped range
Adams CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Allen CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter, migration
Ashland CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter, migration
Ashtabula CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Athens CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Auglaize CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Belmont CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Brown CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Butler CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Carroll CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter, migration
Champaign CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Clark CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Clermont CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Clinton CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Columbiana CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Coshocton CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Crawford CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter, migration
Cuyahoga County63 · Recorded, season not shownYes: migration
Darke CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Defiance CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Delaware CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Erie CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Fairfield CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Fayette CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Franklin CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Fulton CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Gallia CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Geauga CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Greene CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Guernsey CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Hamilton County29 · Recorded, season not shownYes: winter
Hancock CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter, migration
Hardin CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Harrison CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Henry CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Highland CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Hocking CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Holmes CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter, migration
Huron CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Jackson CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Jefferson CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter, migration
Knox CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Lake CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Lawrence CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Licking CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Logan CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Lorain CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Lucas County54 · Recorded, season not shownYes: migration
Madison CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Mahoning CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Marion CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Medina CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Meigs CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Mercer CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Miami CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Monroe CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Montgomery CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Morgan CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Morrow CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Muskingum CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Noble CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Ottawa CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Paulding CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Perry CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Pickaway CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Pike CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Portage CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Preble CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Putnam CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter, migration
Richland CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter, migration
Ross CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Sandusky CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Scioto CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Seneca CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Shelby CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Stark County20 · Recorded, season not shownYes: migration
Summit County26 · Recorded, season not shownYes: migration
Trumbull CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Tuscarawas CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Union CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Van Wert CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter, migration
Vinton CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: winter
Warren CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Washington CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter
Wayne CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Williams CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: migration
Wood CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: migration
Wyandot CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: winter, migration

Season

When it is recorded

In Cuyahoga County

Late October to early December, middle week mid-November

Recorded in two separate seasons, each shown with its own early, middle and late weeks. A later season is not shown: the weeks are still too uncertain.

Show over the bars
Recording in Cuyahoga County · records of all species each week, 92,154 in all

Records per week from 63 records in 9 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not a season or how common it is.

Show as a table
Records of Fox Sparrow in Cuyahoga County each week, and records of all species
WeekRecords of Fox SparrowYears recordedRecords of all species
Jan 4–1000468
Jan 11–1731502
Jan 18–2400393
Jan 25–3100380
Feb 1–711590
Feb 8–1400504
Feb 15–2100455
Feb 22–2800583
Mar 1–700567
Mar 8–1400750
Mar 15–2121819
Mar 22–2822780
Mar 29 – Apr 41151,014
Apr 5–11971,655
Apr 12–18752,306
Apr 19–25111,857
Apr 26 – May 2224,135
May 3–9002,830
May 10–16002,640
May 17–23002,938
May 24–30002,903
May 31 – Jun 6002,621
Jun 7–13002,326
Jun 14–20002,465
Jun 21–27002,426
Jun 28 – Jul 4002,632
Jul 5–11002,765
Jul 12–18002,898
Jul 19–25002,860
Jul 26 – Aug 1002,736
Aug 2–8003,021
Aug 9–15002,627
Aug 16–22002,732
Aug 23–29002,388
Aug 30 – Sep 5003,076
Sep 6–12003,578
Sep 13–19003,735
Sep 20–26003,328
Sep 27 – Oct 3002,834
Oct 4–10002,275
Oct 11–17001,937
Oct 18–24111,181
Oct 25–31331,172
Nov 1–733893
Nov 8–1455854
Nov 15–2122485
Nov 22–2864552
Nov 29 – Dec 532448
Dec 6–1221498
Dec 13–1900458
Dec 20–2600575
Dec 27 – Jan 200709

In Ohio

Mid-October to late January, middle week late November, and again late February to mid-April, middle week late March

Recorded in two separate seasons, each shown with its own early, middle and late weeks.

Show over the bars
Recording in Ohio · records of all species each week, 1,691,199 in all

Records per week from 416 records in 10 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not a season or how common it is.

Show as a table
Records of Fox Sparrow in Ohio each week, and records of all species
WeekRecords of Fox SparrowYears recordedRecords of all species
Jan 4–101346,211
Jan 11–171555,146
Jan 18–241144,645
Jan 25–311064,698
Feb 1–7546,023
Feb 8–14535,888
Feb 15–21845,436
Feb 22–28776,846
Mar 1–7548,321
Mar 8–148610,384
Mar 15–2122812,620
Mar 22–2824813,949
Mar 29 – Apr 432919,661
Apr 5–1143926,860
Apr 12–1838939,925
Apr 19–255441,623
Apr 26 – May 25456,391
May 3–90052,952
May 10–160053,785
May 17–232257,698
May 24–300054,651
May 31 – Jun 60053,099
Jun 7–130053,700
Jun 14–200056,625
Jun 21–270055,361
Jun 28 – Jul 40058,477
Jul 5–110061,336
Jul 12–180064,722
Jul 19–250069,753
Jul 26 – Aug 10059,416
Aug 2–80059,712
Aug 9–150055,994
Aug 16–220054,328
Aug 23–290051,772
Aug 30 – Sep 50057,167
Sep 6–120059,075
Sep 13–190054,543
Sep 20–260045,860
Sep 27 – Oct 30043,180
Oct 4–102237,841
Oct 11–174330,824
Oct 18–247421,156
Oct 25–318719,021
Nov 1–719914,172
Nov 8–1420812,621
Nov 15–211777,965
Nov 22–282088,136
Nov 29 – Dec 52076,083
Dec 6–121456,004
Dec 13–19765,423
Dec 20–26835,661
Dec 27 – Jan 21258,459

What these results show

These results show when people recorded a species, not when or where it occurs. Missing weeks and low counts do not mean absence or scarcity, and counts are not abundance. Contributed records reflect where, when and what people chose to observe.

Identification

How to identify it

Often confused with

  • Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia517 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus58 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus43 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis34 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus32 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant

From iNaturalist’s similar-species counts, refreshed monthly: confusions in Ohio first, then worldwide. Only species with an Ohio result are listed.

When it is heard

Reported with a sound recording, too few times for a season.

From 1 iNaturalist records with a sound recording. Sounds are not kept or played here. Listen on iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)

Months not reported

  1. Jan: recorded
  2. Feb: recorded
  3. Mar: recorded
  4. Apr: recorded
  5. May: recorded
  6. Jun: no record
  7. Jul: no record
  8. Aug: no record
  9. Sep: no record
  10. Oct: recorded
  11. Nov: recorded
  12. Dec: recorded

Not reported in Ohio in June to September, 2016 to 2025.

Land cover where it is recorded

Land coverIts recordsAll Ohio records
Developed49%49%
Forest24%31%
Wetland15%5%
Farmland11%11%
Barren0.5%0.6%
Grassland and shrub0.5%0.9%
Open water0.5%3%

From 189 records placed within 100 m, beside all Ohio records placed the same way. People record where they go, so this shows where records come from, not where the species lives. Land cover: USGS Annual NLCD, 2025 (opens in a new tab)

Finer identifications

Some Ohio records of this species were identified to a subspecies:

  • Passerella iliaca iliacaEastern Red Fox Sparrowsubspecies

Every one of these records counts toward the Fox Sparrow's season above.

Why some records go further than species

Many species vary from place to place. Groups of a species that look or sound a little different, and live in different areas, can be named as subspecies. Observers and experts only identify a record that far when it shows enough detail to tell them apart. Records without that detail count at the species level.

Names: Catalogue of Life.

Sources

Where these results come from

  • Records from iNaturalist research-grade observations and expert-identified GBIF datasets, CC0, CC BY and CC BY-NC. Sources
  • Seasons use the published method and its evidence thresholds. Methods
  • See it on iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)OpenPhenology is independent and not affiliated with iNaturalist.

Records behind the Ohio result

416 records from 2 datasets.

To cite: the GBIF download doi:10.15468/dl.y2jkt8 (opens in a new tab).

A spreadsheet (CSV) with a link to each record, on iNaturalist or GBIF. Records whose location was hidden by the observer or the source are counted but not linked.