Bird

Fox Sparrow

Passerella iliaca

A winter visitor to West Virginia, found in all 55 counties and 13 habitats.

Here: Winter and on migration
Nesting: Not known to nest here
Range: All 55 counties
Habitats: 13

Male Fox Sparrow, whole bird — **Male**. (c) datadan, some rights reserved (CC BY). CC BY. iNaturalist photo 248609058. iNaturalist large derivative; no local crop or retouch.

At a glance

Group: Birds
Here: Winter and on migration
Nesting: Not known to nest here
Range: All 55 counties
Habitats: 13
Habitat models: Winter

Where it lives

The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.

Habitats in West Virginia 13

Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 13

Dry forests and woodlands

Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.

WinterSouthern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest - Xeric; Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest; Central Appalachian Oak and Pine Forest; Central Appalachian Pine-Oak Rocky Woodland; Southern Appalachian Montane Pine Forest and Woodland

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

WinterCentral Appalachian Floodplain - Forest Modifier; Central Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier; Central Interior and Appalachian Floodplain Systems; Central Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems

Forest edges and thickets

Borders of forests, clearings and shrubby thickets.

WinterDisturbed/Successional - Shrub Regeneration; Successional Shrub/Scrub (Other); Harvested Forest - Shrub Regeneration

Hemlock forests

Shady, evergreen forests of eastern or Carolina hemlock, often along rocky mountain streams and in gorges.

WinterAppalachian Hemlock-Hardwood Forest

Moderately dry forests

Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.

WinterNortheastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest

Moist forests

Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.

WinterSouthern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest

Mountain balds

Treeless grassy or shrubby summits and ridges in the high mountains.

WinterSouthern Appalachian Grass and Shrub Bald - Shrub Modifier

Rich cove forests

Sheltered, moist mountain hollows and lower slopes with deep, fertile soil.

WinterSouthern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest

Streams, rivers and their banks

Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.

WinterCentral Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems

Tree plantations and managed pine

Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.

WinterDeciduous Plantation; Managed Tree Plantation

Disturbed and introduced wetlands

Wet ground taken over by weedy or introduced plants after disturbance, such as common reed, Chinese tallow or tamarisk stands; the upland counterpart is roadsides, fields and disturbed ground.

WinterBeside its main habitat.

Spruce-fir forests

Cool, evergreen forests of red spruce and Fraser fir on the highest mountains.

WinterBeside its main habitat.

Swamps

Forested wetlands with standing water much of the year, such as cypress and gum swamps.

WinterBeside its main habitat.Central Interior and Appalachian Swamp Systems

Other habitats in its models (75)

Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in West Virginia.

Central and Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Limestone Forest Winter, beside its main habitat.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Hardwood Modifier Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Juniper Modifier Winter, beside its main habitat.
Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Winter, beside its main habitat.
Ridge and Valley Calcareous Valley Bottom Glade and Woodland Winter.
Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Winter, beside its main habitat.
Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Winter.
Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Winter.
North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland Winter.
North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland Winter.
North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest Winter, beside its main habitat.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Bluff Forest Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loess Bluff Forest Winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Winter.
South Florida Hardwood Hammock Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry and Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Winter.
Southwest Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Winter, beside its main habitat.
Southeast Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Winter, beside its main habitat.
Central and South Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Chenier and Upper Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Winter.
Mississippi River Alluvial Plain Dry-Mesic Loess Slope Forest Winter, beside its main habitat.
East-Central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland Winter.
East-Central Texas Plains Riparian Forest Winter.
East-Central Texas Plains Floodplain Forest Winter.
Southern Coastal Plain Oak Dome and Hammock Winter.
Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Maritime Forest Winter.
Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Winter.
Mississippi Delta Maritime Forest Winter.
Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood Forest Winter, beside its main habitat.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Mesic Hardwood Forest Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Mesic Slope Forest Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Maritime Forest Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Maritime Forest Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Hardwood Modifier Winter, beside its main habitat.
Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Hardwood Modifier Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Woodland Modifier Winter.
Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Loblolly Pine Modifier Winter, beside its main habitat.
Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Winter, beside its main habitat.
Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Winter, beside its main habitat.
Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Heath Forest - Mixed Modifier Winter.
Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry Hardwood Forest Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Winter.
Southeastern Interior Longleaf Pine Woodland Winter.
Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest Winter.
Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest Winter, beside its main habitat.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood and Mixed Forest Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Winter.
Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-Line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Winter.
East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Modifier Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland Winter.
East-Central Texas Plains Pine Forest and Woodland Winter.
Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Winter.
Florida Peninsula Inland Scrub Winter.
Central Appalachian Alkaline Glade and Woodland Winter.
South Texas Lomas Winter.
Recently Logged Areas Winter.
Recently Burned Winter.
Recently Burned Forest Winter.
Recently Burned Shrubland Winter.
Introduced Upland Vegetation - Shrub Winter.
Central Interior and Appalachian Shrub-Herbaceous Wetland Systems Winter.
Southern Piedmont/Ridge and Valley Upland Depression Swamp Winter, beside its main habitat.
Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Winter.
Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest Winter.
West Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest Winter.
Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest Winter.
North-Central Interior Wet Flatwoods Winter.