Guide

Look closerBirds

Fox sparrows and their two-footed scratch

November

The fox sparrow is a robust, ruddy sparrow that passes through Massachusetts in late fall. Look for it on the ground in shrubby cover, hopping forward and then scratching backward with both feet at once.

Why this time of year

Audubon puts peak fox sparrow passage in many areas in early November, and Mass Audubon lists it as a spring and fall migrant through the state, with some staying the winter.

How to notice it

  1. Pick a spot with shrubs or an overgrown, tangled edge and a layer of fallen leaves, and watch the ground at the base of the cover.
  2. Look for a sparrow that makes a little forward jump, then scratches backward with both feet at once, kicking the leaves.
  3. Notice the color and build: a large, robust, rusty-red sparrow.

Try this with kids: Can you find the sparrow that hops forward and kicks the leaves backward with both feet, like a tiny chicken?

Phrase to know: “Leaf litter” is the layer of fallen leaves on the ground.

Sources

  • audubon.orgAudubon field guide: peak passage in many areas in late March and early November; forages on the ground, 'making a little forward jump and then scratching back with both feet at once'; winters in suburbs and parks with dense vegetation.
  • massaudubon.orgMass Audubon State of the Birds: the robust and ruddy fox sparrow favors shrubby, overgrown areas during its brief migratory passage through Massachusetts in spring and fall; does not breed in MA; uses shrubland and suburban areas in winter.
  • mountainbirds.vtecostudies.orgVermont Center for Ecostudies: northeastern birds remain on breeding grounds through October.

Checked against these sources on October 2, 2026.

In the guide for November

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