Name: Song Sparrow

Description: The Song Sparrow is one of the most widespread, diverse and geographically variable of the North American birds. The Song Sparrow is found throughout most of North America, but populations in different areas can look surprisingly different. Those found in the arid southwest are lightly marked and pale, while those in the Pacific Northwest are dark and heavily streaked. The sparrows found on the Aleutian Islands of Alaska are even darker, and are huge— one-third longer than the eastern birds and weighing twice as much. In southern locations, Song Sparrows are permanent residents. Northern birds, however, migrate to the southern United States or Mexico, where there is also a local population present year-round.

Other Names: None

Color: The Song Sparrow has heavy brown streaking on white under parts, with a prominent central breast spot (sometimes lacking in juveniles). Subspecies show considerable variations in size and color, ranging from pale, sandy brown to dark brown. The Song Sparrow has a brown cap and a long, brown, rounded tail. Its face is gray with a streak through the eye.

Sound: The Song Sparrow’s song consists of a combination of repeated notes, quickly passing isolated notes and trills. The songs are very crisp, clear and precise. Although one bird will know many songs—as many as 20 different tunes with as many as 1,000 improvised variations on the same basic theme—the Song Sparrow usually repeats its song many times before switching to a different one.

Preferred Environment: Song Sparrows are found in a variety of open, shrubby areas, especially near water in arid regions, including brushy areas and marshes.

Nesting Habits: The Song Sparrow's nest is an open cup of grass, weed stems, leaves and strips of plant bark. It is lined with fine grass, rootlets and hair. The nest is usually placed low in grass or shrub, often on the ground under a tuft of grass.

Food Preference: Song Sparrows feed on sunflower, niger (thistle), corn and white millet.