How to Identify aSong Sparrow
Melospiza melodia · 4.7–6.7 in (12–17 cm)
Male vs. female
Male
Brown and gray with heavy brown streaks below that converge into a dark central chest spot.
Female
Identical to the male in the field.
Male photo: Rhododendrites / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Second photo: Celari817 / Wikimedia, CC BY 4.0
Field marks
- Bold streaking on the breast and flanks
- Dark central "stickpin" spot on the chest
- Broad gray eyebrow and brown crown stripes
- Long, rounded tail pumped in flight
Similar species
What it sounds like
Two or three clear introductory notes followed by a jumbled trill, varying widely between regions.
Behaviour that gives it away
Sings from an exposed perch rather than cover, and young males learn local dialects from neighbours.
Habitat & range
Brushy fields, marsh edges, hedgerows, and backyards across most of North America.
When you'll see it
Present all year in North America.
What it eats
Seeds and insects gathered low in dense cover and along edges.
Did you know?
Song patterns vary by region into local "dialects," and young males learn songs from neighbors.
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