White-crowned Sparrow Project

Generously supported by the

Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society

White-crowned Sparrow Project email: wcspstudy@yahoo.com

For the past nine years, The White-crowned Sparrow Project has been studying White-crowned Sparrows wintering in the Tri-Cities area of southeastern Washington. This long-term study has revealed a concerning trend. By placing individually identifiable colored leg bands on birds and monitoring their return each winter, their declining apparent survival, accompanied by declining winter abundance has been documented in the region.
Data from the Christmas Bird Count and eBird also contribute to the survival and abundance documentation.

White-crowned Sparrow abundance in the

Tri-Cities Christmas Bird Count circle 2014–2024

Note the general decline in numbers.

Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society (LCBAS) is partnering with the The Project in a joint effort to expand the scope of the study using the Motus Wildlife Tracking System, an international network of automated radio receiving stations that detect signals from small transmitters attached to birds and other wildlife.

In early 2027, miniature radio transmitters will be attached to approximately 25 White-crowned Sparrows at the banding site. A Motus antenna receiver installed at the site will monitor the birds' local movements and detect their departures and returns up to approximately 1.5 miles away.
In spring, as they migrate toward their breeding grounds in northern Canada and Alaska, other stations in the Motus network may detect these birds. The antenna may also pick up other tagged species. LCBAS hopes this pilot project will encourage the establishment of one or two additional Motus antennas along the Columbia River at future locations.

Adopt a Sparrow!

Establishing a Motus Wildlife Tracking System is a costly effort and you can help with a donation. ANY amount helps, but with a $250.00 donation you will ADOPT A WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW unique to you, and you will receive a tag number to track this bird at Motus.org. Friends and family can pool their resources to adopt a bird together. Smaller donations will be merged so that everyone in the pool will receive a tag number.
At the end of the season, tracking information will be shared with everyone who makes a donation.
Donations can be made with the PayPal Donate button below which automatically designates funds to The Project and is indicated on your receipt.
If paying by check, mail to LCBAS, PO Box 1900, Richland WA 99352. Make sure to note that the donation goes to the White-crowned Sparrow Project.