Song Sparrow

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