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• Conservation Status
• Taxonomy
• Physical Description
• Distribution
• Habitat
• Diet
• Reproduction
• Migration
• Song/Voice
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Notes
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Conservation Status

Status

The Song Sparrow is a very common host of the Brown-headed Cowbird. It commonly raises cowbird young instead of or in addition to its own young. The Song Sparrow is common and is not listed as Threatened or Endangered in any part of its southeastern range.

Taxonomy

Notes:

Name Status: Accepted Name. Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 17-Oct-2001

Physical Description

Family Fringillidae:

A Family of seed-eating, small to moderately large passerine birds that have strong, stubby beaks, which in some species can be quite large. They have a bouncing flight, alternating flapping with gliding on closed wings. Most sing well.

Images:

Distribution

Range and Population

North America

Habitat

The habitats of the Song Sparrow include those used for breeding plus overgrown fields, marshes, brushy fields, and thickets in both residential and agricultural areas.

Diet

Diet consists of insects, seeds, and sometimes fruit. The food is found by searching the ground and nearby vegetation.

Mostly: Seeds

Lesser Quantities of: Insects

Reproduction

The breeding season begins in early April, peaks later that month, and extends into mid-August. Breeding habitat includes open grassy areas with scattered shrubs and trees, shrubby residential areas, hedgerows, and pond edges. Early in the season most nests are on or near the ground; later nests are built higher up, usually in small trees or shrubs.The nest is cup-shaped and constructed from grass, bark strips, and other plant material. The female lays 2-6 (usually 3-4) eggs that she incubates for 12-14 days. The young are altricial and fledge 9-12 days after hatching. The young are dependent on the adults for 1-2 weeks after leaving the nest. If the female nests again after the first group fledges, the male will take care of the first group of young alone.

• Breeding Habitat: Successional-scrub
• Nest Location: Ground-low nesting
• Nest Type: Open-cup
• Clutch Size: 3-5
• Length of Incubation: 12-14 days
• Days to Fledge: 9-12(-16)
• Number of Broods: 2-3, occasionally 4

Migration

Northern birds migrate

Song/Voice

The song of this sparrow is very musical, usually ending in a trill.

Melospiza melodia
Recordist: John R. Sauer Copyright Holder: John R. Sauer Permissions for Use: See here.

Melospiza melodia
Recordist: John R. Sauer Copyright Holder: John R. Sauer Permissions for Use: See here.

Similar Species

Savannah Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow

Members of the genus Melospiza:

There are approximately 84 species in this genus.: M. fasciata · M. georgiana (Swamp Sparrow) · M. georgiana cricrypta · M. georgiana ericrypta (Swamp Sparrow) · M. georgiana ericypta · M. georgiana georgiana (Swamp Sparrow) · M. georgiana nigrescens (Coastal Plain Swamp Sparrow) · M. georgiana palmarum · M. georgiana ssp · M. lincolni · M. lincolnii (Lincoln's Sparrow) · M. lincolnii alticola (Lincoln's Sparrow) · M. lincolnii alticolor · M. lincolnii gracilis · M. lincolnii lincolni · M. lincolnii lincolnii · M. lincolnii lincolnii-gracilis · M. lincolnii linconii · M. lincolnii ssp · M. lincolnii x · M. melodia (Song Sparrow) · M. melodia adusta · M. melodia amaka (Amak Island Song Sparrow) · M. melodia atlantica · M. melodia azteca · M. melodia beata · M. melodia caurina · M. melodia clementae · M. melodia clemente · M. melodia clementeae · M. melodia cleonensis · M. melodia cooperi · M. melodia cooperii · M. melodia coronatorum · M. melodia euphonia · M. melodia fallax · M. melodia ficherella · M. melodia fisherella · M. melodia fisherella-cleonensi · M. melodia goldmani · M. melodia gouldi · M. melodia gouldii · M. melodia gouldii-cleonensis · M. melodia gouldii-pusillula · M. melodia graminea (Santa Barbara Song Sparrow) · M. melodia heermani · M. melodia heermanni · M. melodia inexpectata · M. melodia inexspectata · M. melodia insignis (Bischoff's Song Sparrow) · M. melodia juddi · M. melodia kenaiensis · M. melodia kenaiensis-caurina · M. melodia mailliardi · M. melodia maxillaris (Suisun Song Sparrow) · M. melodia maxima (Giant Song Sparrow) · M. melodia melodia · M. melodia merrilli · M. melodia mexicana · M. melodia micronyx · M. melodia montana · M. melodia morpha · M. melodia morphna · M. melodia morphua · M. melodia neermanni · M. melodia niceae · M. melodia or · M. melodia pisillula · M. melodia pusilla · M. melodia pusillula (Alameda Song Sparrow) · M. melodia rivularis · M. melodia rufina (Sooty Song Sparrow) · M. melodia saltonia · M. melodia saltonis · M. melodia saltornis · M. melodia samuelis (San Pablo Song Sparrow) · M. melodia sanaka (Aleutian Song Sparrow) · M. melodia santaecrucis · M. melodia ssp · M. melodia villai · M. melodia x · M. melodia yuriria · M. melodia zacapu · M. rufina

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Notes

Contributors:

• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed May 28, 2006. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from provider.
• Hines, J. E., Gregory Gough, J. R. Sauer, et al. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
• NatureServe. 2003. Downloadable animal data sets. NatureServe Central Databases. Accessed February 6, 2005.
• Sauer, J. R., J. E. Hines, and J. Fallon. 2005. The North American Breeding Bird Survey, Results and Analysis 1966 - 2004. Version 2005.2. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD
• Sauer, J. R., S. Schwartz, and B. Hoover. 1996. The Christmas Bird Count Home Page. Version 95.1. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD
• The Georgia Museum of Natural History and Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Identifiers:

• Integrated Taxonomic Information System Serial Number: 179492
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 241022
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: ABPBXA3010
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 902