SCOTT SHALAWAY Visitors from the far north

Of all the winter birds that visit my backyard, tree sparrows are among the least conspicuous. They usually arrive shortly before Christmas and quickly find the white millet, cracked corn, and black-oil sunflower seeds that fall from the feeders hanging overhead.
Despite their name, tree sparrows are not forest birds. They nest in northern Canada and Alaska among the stunted trees and shrubs that characterize the tundra. Because of the tundra's short growing season, tree sparrows raise only a single brood. The female builds the nest on the ground or in a small spruce or willow. She incubates an average of five eggs for about 12 days, then the male helps feed the brood. The chicks leave the nest at about 10 days of age and can fly four to five days later.
Reach latitudes
In the fall, tree sparrows head south in search of food and better weather. By mid- to late December, they reach the temperate latitudes.
I find visits by tree sparrows particularly gratifying because they come from so far away. Here, tree sparrows inhabit old fields, forest edges, and marshes where they roam in flocks of 30 to 40 individuals. Within these flocks, smaller subgroups of four to eight birds travel and feed together. Look for these smaller groups to visit feeding stations. They subsist almost entirely on seeds of weeds and grasses.
A tree sparrow is among the easiest of all the native sparrows to identify. At first, it may suggest a chipping sparrow, a common summer resident that winters much farther south. Look for a rusty cap, a rusty line through the eye, a distinctly two-toned bill (dark above, yellow below), two white wing bars and most conspicuously, a plain gray breast punctuated by a dark central spot. This distinctive "stickpin" makes identification easy even for beginners.
Another winter visitor whose arrival coincides with the holiday season is the fox sparrow. I don't see foxies every year, but when I do, it's a treat. Among the largest sparrows, they measure about 7 inches long and sport a bright rusty plumage. Heavy streaking across their chest converges to form a distinct central spot. When I see a fox sparrow, I'm reminded of a big rusty song sparrow.
Like trees sparrows, foxies nest across northern Canada and Alaska in openings and along edges of the boreal forest. So when they visit, I know there's a good chance they, too, have traveled long and hard.
A few years ago, in an attempt to provide ground feeders with a protected feeding station, I devised a simple multilevel platform feeder. Place a 3 foot by 5 foot piece of exterior plywood on top of two sawhorses. Then set two concrete blocks on top of the plywood and cover them with a smaller piece of plywood.
Anchor the whole arrangement with another concrete block. This set-up creates a large, three-tiered platform feeder for ground feeders.
Reasonably protected
The ground is reasonably protected by the first tabletop, and initially birds congregate there. But the middle level is protected by a roof that is only as high as the blocks; expect birds to gather here when it snows.
Another simple way to enhance a backyard feeding station is to place used Christmas trees near feeders. Collect several after the neighbors put them out for the trash collector, and tie them together so they don't blow away.
A few old Christmas trees provide ground-feeding birds with protective cover from snow and wind and safe haven from hungry hawks and cats.
Cardinals, woodpeckers, and chickadees may be the stars at feeding stations, but don't ignore the handsome native sparrows that often forage inconspicuously on the ground. Many traveled a long way to your back yard.
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