Warblers, Sparrows, Finches & Blackbirds
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
A common, streaky brown sparrow that sings from the tops of shrubs. Its song varies so much that each region has its own local dialects.
How to identify it
- Brown and streaky with a dark central spot on the breast
- Long, rounded tail pumped up and down in flight
- Gray face with brown stripes
- Song starts with a few clear notes followed by a jumble and trill
SizeBetween a Carolina Chickadee and an American Robin
Carolina Chickadee4 in
Song Sparrow6 in
American Robin10 in
American Crow19 in
6 inAverage length, bill to tail
Details
- Size
- 4.5–6.5 in long; wingspan 7–9.5 in
- Weight
- 0.4–1.9 oz
- Habitat
- Thickets, marsh edges, overgrown fields and yards
- When to see it
- Year-round across much of the US; winter in the South
- Diet
- Seeds and insects
Range in the United States
Life history
Food
Eats insects in summer and seeds and fruit the rest of the year.
Nesting
A cup of grass and leaves on the ground or low in a shrub.
- Clutch
- 1–6 eggs
- Incubation
- 12–14 days
- Young
- Fledge at about 10–12 days
- Broods
- 2–3 per year
Behavior
Males sing year-round and learn songs from neighbors.
Conservation
Abundant, though slowly declining.
Cool facts
- A male may know 8–10 different song types.
- Island populations in Alaska are much larger and darker than eastern birds.
- Pumping its tail in flight is a good clue to its identity.
Songs & calls
▶Bird sounds video coming soon
Watch the Song Sparrow
▶Video coming soon
