BirdsIn Ohio
Fox Sparrow
Passerella iliaca (Merrem, 1786)
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Genus
- Passerella
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)
Counties as a table
| County | Records | In mapped range |
|---|---|---|
| Adams County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Allen County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter, migration |
| Ashland County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter, migration |
| Ashtabula County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: migration |
| Athens County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Auglaize County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Belmont County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Brown County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Butler County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Carroll County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter, migration |
| Champaign County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Clark County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Clermont County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Clinton County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Columbiana County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: migration |
| Coshocton County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Crawford County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter, migration |
| Cuyahoga County | 63 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: migration |
| Darke County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Defiance County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: migration |
| Delaware County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Erie County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: migration |
| Fairfield County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Fayette County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Franklin County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Fulton County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: migration |
| Gallia County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Geauga County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: migration |
| Greene County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Guernsey County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Hamilton County | 29 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: winter |
| Hancock County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter, migration |
| Hardin County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Harrison County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Henry County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: migration |
| Highland County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Hocking County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Holmes County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter, migration |
| Huron County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: migration |
| Jackson County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Jefferson County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter, migration |
| Knox County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Lake County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: migration |
| Lawrence County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Licking County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Logan County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Lorain County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: migration |
| Lucas County | 54 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: migration |
| Madison County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Mahoning County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: migration |
| Marion County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Medina County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: migration |
| Meigs County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Mercer County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Miami County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Monroe County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Montgomery County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Morgan County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Morrow County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Muskingum County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Noble County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Ottawa County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: migration |
| Paulding County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: migration |
| Perry County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Pickaway County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Pike County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Portage County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: migration |
| Preble County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Putnam County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter, migration |
| Richland County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter, migration |
| Ross County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Sandusky County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: migration |
| Scioto County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Seneca County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: migration |
| Shelby County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Stark County | 20 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: migration |
| Summit County | 26 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: migration |
| Trumbull County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: migration |
| Tuscarawas County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Union County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Van Wert County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter, migration |
| Vinton County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: winter |
| Warren County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Washington County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter |
| Wayne County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: migration |
| Williams County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: migration |
| Wood County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: migration |
| Wyandot County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: winter, migration |
Season
When it is recorded
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.
This week · Nov 8–14
Show over the bars
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
| Week | Records of Fox Sparrow | Years recorded | Records of all species |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 4–10 | 13 | 4 | 6,211 |
| Jan 11–17 | 15 | 5 | 5,146 |
| Jan 18–24 | 11 | 4 | 4,645 |
| Jan 25–31 | 10 | 6 | 4,698 |
| Feb 1–7 | 5 | 4 | 6,023 |
| Feb 8–14 | 5 | 3 | 5,888 |
| Feb 15–21 | 8 | 4 | 5,436 |
| Feb 22–28 | 7 | 7 | 6,846 |
| Mar 1–7 | 5 | 4 | 8,321 |
| Mar 8–14 | 8 | 6 | 10,384 |
| Mar 15–21 | 22 | 8 | 12,620 |
| Mar 22–28 | 24 | 8 | 13,949 |
| Mar 29 – Apr 4 | 32 | 9 | 19,661 |
| Apr 5–11 | 43 | 9 | 26,860 |
| Apr 12–18 | 38 | 9 | 39,925 |
| Apr 19–25 | 5 | 4 | 41,623 |
| Apr 26 – May 2 | 5 | 4 | 56,391 |
| May 3–9 | 0 | 0 | 52,952 |
| May 10–16 | 0 | 0 | 53,785 |
| May 17–23 | 2 | 2 | 57,698 |
| May 24–30 | 0 | 0 | 54,651 |
| May 31 – Jun 6 | 0 | 0 | 53,099 |
| Jun 7–13 | 0 | 0 | 53,700 |
| Jun 14–20 | 0 | 0 | 56,625 |
| Jun 21–27 | 0 | 0 | 55,361 |
| Jun 28 – Jul 4 | 0 | 0 | 58,477 |
| Jul 5–11 | 0 | 0 | 61,336 |
| Jul 12–18 | 0 | 0 | 64,722 |
| Jul 19–25 | 0 | 0 | 69,753 |
| Jul 26 – Aug 1 | 0 | 0 | 59,416 |
| Aug 2–8 | 0 | 0 | 59,712 |
| Aug 9–15 | 0 | 0 | 55,994 |
| Aug 16–22 | 0 | 0 | 54,328 |
| Aug 23–29 | 0 | 0 | 51,772 |
| Aug 30 – Sep 5 | 0 | 0 | 57,167 |
| Sep 6–12 | 0 | 0 | 59,075 |
| Sep 13–19 | 0 | 0 | 54,543 |
| Sep 20–26 | 0 | 0 | 45,860 |
| Sep 27 – Oct 3 | 0 | 0 | 43,180 |
| Oct 4–10 | 2 | 2 | 37,841 |
| Oct 11–17 | 4 | 3 | 30,824 |
| Oct 18–24 | 7 | 4 | 21,156 |
| Oct 25–31 | 8 | 7 | 19,021 |
| Nov 1–7 | 19 | 9 | 14,172 |
| Nov 8–14 | 20 | 8 | 12,621 |
| Nov 15–21 | 17 | 7 | 7,965 |
| Nov 22–28 | 20 | 8 | 8,136 |
| Nov 29 – Dec 5 | 20 | 7 | 6,083 |
| Dec 6–12 | 14 | 5 | 6,004 |
| Dec 13–19 | 7 | 6 | 5,423 |
| Dec 20–26 | 8 | 3 | 5,661 |
| Dec 27 – Jan 2 | 12 | 5 | 8,459 |
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
Look-alikes
When
Land cover
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
- Jan: recorded
- Feb: recorded
- Mar: recorded
- Apr: recorded
- May: recorded
- Jun: no record
- Jul: no record
- Aug: no record
- Sep: no record
- Oct: recorded
- Nov: recorded
- Dec: recorded
Not reported in Ohio in June to September, 2016 to 2025.
Land cover where it is recorded
| Land cover | Its recordsAll Ohio records |
|---|---|
| Developed | 49%49% |
| Forest | 24%31% |
| Wetland | 15%5% |
| Farmland | 11%11% |
| Barren | 0.5%0.6% |
| Grassland and shrub | 0.5%0.9% |
| Open water | 0.5%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.
- iNaturalist Research-grade Observations (opens in a new tab) · iNaturalist.org · 412 recordsiNaturalist contributors, iNaturalist (2026). iNaturalist Research-grade Observations. iNaturalist.org. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/ab3s5x accessed via GBIF.org on 2026-11-13.
- iNaturalist observations (opens in a new tab) · iNaturalist.org · 4 recordsiNaturalist. Available from https://www.inaturalist.org. Accessed 2026-11-13
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.