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Lincoln's Sparrow

Melospiza lincolniiOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Sparrows (Emberizidae)

Lincoln's Sparrow Portrait
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General

Lincoln's Sparrow: Medium-sized sparrow with dark-streaked, pale brown upperparts and white underparts with dark streaks. Head has brown crown with gray central stripe, broad gray eyebrows and nape, pale eye-ring, and brown streak extending behind eye. Upper mandible is dark, lower mandible is pale orange-brown. Sexes are similar.

Range and Habitat

Lincoln's Sparrow: Breeds across portions of Alaska and Canada, south to southwestern U.S., central Minnesota, and New England. Spends winters from southern U.S., south to Honduras. Found in shrubby meadows, shoreline forests, bog edges, and wetlands with tall vegetation.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"chur-chur-chur-wee-wee-wee-wee-wah", "zee"

Interesting Facts

  • The Lincoln's Sparrow shows less geographical variation in song than any other species in its genus, perhaps a result of high dispersal rates among juveniles.
  • They are very secretive. Their song is a musical trill, but this bird is often not seen or heard even where they are common.
  • This bird was named by Audubon after his friend, Thomas Lincoln. Lincoln shot the bird on a trip with Audubon to Nova Scotia in 1834, and Audubon named it "Tom's Finch" in his honor.
  • A group of sparrows has many collective nouns, including a "crew", "flutter", "meinie", "quarrel", and "ubiquity" of sparrows.


Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Lincoln's Sparrow
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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family
Species Melospiza lincolnii
Length5.25 - 6 Inches
Wingspan8 Inches

Lincoln's Sparrow

Lincoln's Sparrow: Medium sparrow, dark-streaked pale brown upperparts, white underparts with dark streaks. Head has brown crown with gray central stripe, broad gray eyebrows and nape, pale eye-ring, and brown streak extending behind eye. Upper mandible is dark, lower mandible is pale orange-brown.

● Song: "chur-chur-chur-wee-wee-wee-wee-wah", "zee"

● Foraging & Feeding: Lincoln's Sparrow: Feeds on insects and seeds; scratches at the ground while foraging.

● Breeding & nesting: Lincoln's Sparrow: Three to six pale green eggs with red brown markings are laid in a cup-shaped nest woven from dry grass, lined with fine plant materials and hair, and built on the ground. Incubation ranges from 12 to 14 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Lincoln's Sparrow: Song Sparrow has heavier breast streaks and white jaw line.

Flight Pattern

Alternates several rapid wing beats with wings pulled to sides.
Lincoln's Sparrow Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Lincoln's Sparrow: Breeds across portions of Alaska and Canada, south to southwestern U.S., central Minnesota, and New England. Spends winters from southern U.S., south to Honduras. Found in shrubby meadows, shoreline forests, bog edges, and wetlands with tall vegetation.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
PopulationUncommon to fairly common
MigrationMigratory
Weight0.8 Ounces