General

Clay-colored Sparrow: Medium-sized sparrow with black-streaked brown upperparts and buff underparts. Face is pale with finely streaked crown, crisp brown cheek patch, white eyestripe, and gray nape. Sexes are similar. Juvenile is heavily streaked with buff wash on face, flanks, and wings.

Range and Habitat

Clay-colored Sparrow: Breeds from north-central Canada and Great Lakes region south to Colorado and Michigan. Spends winters from southern Texas south. Preferred habitats include brushy grasslands and prairies.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"bzzz-bzzz-zeee-zeee"

Interesting Facts

 The plowing of the prairies reduced the habitat of the Clay-colored Sparrow, but with the clearing of forests it has extended its range northeastward and now breeds in the eastern Great Lakes region.

 Unlike most songbirds, they forage outside of their nesting territory, leaving them with smaller territories to defend than most songbirds their size.

 This bird's nests are often parasitized by the Brown-headed Cowbird; the nest may be abandoned when this happens.

 A group of sparrows has many collective nouns, including a "crew", "flutter", "meinie", "quarrel", and "ubiquity" of sparrows.

Author

Gary Owen Dick