Song Sparrow

Harbinger of Spring

Song Sparrow

The arrival of the Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) is one of the most welcome signs of spring in this area.  And, when it sings for the first time, spring is really here!  Although some individuals spend the winter here sustaining themselves from the food and shelter of feeder areas, the bulk of the population arrives in early April and leaves in late fall when the weather turns.  The summer/breeding range of this species covers all of the southern half of Canada.  It winters in the US mostly in the southern parts.  It has a permanent range in the central US where summer and winter ranges overlap.  

Song Sparrow

The Song Sparrow is very common here.  It is the sparrow of yard, garden, and forest and park edge.  Sparrows are notoriously difficult to distinguish by the beginner birder.  Sometimes they all look like 'little brown birds'.  Let's point out the features of a Song Sparrow.  They are a medium-to-large sized sparrow, very streaked with a long tail.  In this part of North America they are reddish-brown  to medium-brown streaked with a gray face and, most importantly, the streaks appear to converge to a central spot on the breast.  They sport a wide greyish eyebrow and a dark malar stripe (line behind the eye).  The underparts are white under the streaking.  The long tail is rounded at the end and the bird often flips it when landing.  Notice the central breast spot in the photo above, the gray face and eyebrow line and the dark malar stripe.

Song Sparrow

There are 30 + subspecies of Song Sparrows!  This is what happens if you occur all over North America often in isolated areas.  The subspecies vary in size and colouration.  The colours range from grayish, to reddish, to sooty-coloured.  But, they all sing the same song.  The same subspecies return to the same areas each year so if you are visiting the west you will find the Song Sparrows look quite different.  Apparently we have the nominate subspecies here, the 'Eastern' group.  

What other sparrow species are you likely to  confuse with Song Sparrows?  That can be difficult since they are all 'little brown birds' and sometimes hard to identify.  A study of Lincoln's, Swamp, Savannah, Fox and Vesper sparrows will help.  I think the most likely one to confuse it with is the Fox Sparrow.  But the Fox Sparrow is much larger, more reddish and with much bolder stripes.  A field guide is a definite asset in sparrow identification.

Song Sparrow

The song of the Song Sparrow is a must to learn.  Sibley describes it  as 3 or 4 short clear notes followed by a buzzy sound and ending in a trill.  Once you learn it you won't forget it.  It is one of nature's blessings on our landscape.  

Song Sparrows build their nests  close to the ground, in a bush 2 or 3 feet off the ground or directly on the ground near a grassy hummock.  They build a grassy cup in which they incorporate leaves, twigs and bark and often line it with hair.  Incubation is done by the female and she sometimes raises 3 broods per season.  Song sparrows eat seeds, grass, berries and insects; and sometimes crustaceans.  They readily come to feeders and enjoy sunflower seeds.  It is always fun to see them bring their young to the feeder to teach them how to feed.