Field Guide to Birds of North America
Song Sparrow
General
Song Sparrow: Medium-sized sparrow with heavily streaked gray-brown upperparts. Dull white underparts have dark central breast spot and thick streaks. Head has a brown crown with paler median stripe, pale gray eyebrow, white chin, and dark brown moustache stripe. Wings are rust-brown. Tail is long, rounded and usually tinged rust-brown. Sexes are similar. Juvenile is duller and may lack breast spot.
Range and Habitat
Song Sparrow: Breeds from the Aleutians and mainland Alaska east to Newfoundland and south to California, North Dakota, and Carolinas. Spends winters from southern Canada throughout the U.S. to the Gulf Coast and Mexico. Preferred habitats include forest edges, clearings, thickets, and marshes with open grassy feeding areas; also found in undergrowth in gardens and city parks.
Listen to Call
Voice Text
"Madge-Madge-Madge, put-on-your-tea-kettle-ettle-ettle"
Interesting Facts
- The Song Sparrow lives up to its name, being one of the most persistent singers throughout the spring and summer.
- Other birds such as mockingbirds are not able to effectively imitate their song.
- They recognizes enemies by both instinctual and learned patterns, and adjusts future behavior based on both its own experiences in encounters, and from watching other birds interact with enemies.
- A group of Song Sparrows are collectively known as a "flock", "choir", and "chorus" of sparrows.
Author
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Family
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Species
Melospiza melodia
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Length5.75 - 7.5
Inches
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Wingspan10.375
Inches
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Song Sparrow
Song Sparrow: Medium sparrow, heavily streaked gray-brown upperparts. Dull white underparts have dark central breast spot, thick streaks. Head has brown crown, paler median stripe, pale gray eyebrow, white chin, dark brown moustache stripe. Rust-brown wings. Tail is long, usually tinged rust-brown.
● Song: "Madge-Madge-Madge, put-on-your-tea-kettle-ettle-ettle"
● Foraging & Feeding: Song Sparrow: Diet consists of seeds, grass, berries, and occasionally insects; also eats crustaceans and mollusks on the coast; forages on the ground.
● Breeding & nesting: Song Sparrow: Two to six red brown marked, pale green eggs are laid in a cup nest of grass, forbs, leaves, and bark strips, often lined with hair, and usually built on the ground near a grassy tussock or reeds; sometimes builds nest in a bush or tree, 2 to 4 feet above the ground. Incubation ranges from 12 to 14 days and is carried out by the female; raises up to three broods per season.
● Similar species: Song Sparrow: Lincoln's Sparrow is smaller with smaller bill, lighter streaks on breast and flanks, buff on breast and face, shorter tail, and lacks breast spot. Savannah Sparrow is smaller and paler, and has heavier bill, shorter tail, pale yellow eyebrows, and lacks breast spot.
Flight Pattern
Short flights close to ground, tail pumping up and down.
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BreedingMonogamous
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PopulationWidespread, Abundant
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MigrationNorthern birds migrate
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Weight0.7
Ounces
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