About the Grasshopper Sparrow
The grasshopper sparrow is a small New World sparrow. It belongs to the genus Ammodramus, which contains three species that inhabit grasslands and prairies. Grasshopper sparrows are sometimes found in crop fields and they will readily colonize reclaimed grassland. In the core of their range, grasshopper sparrows are dependent upon large areas of grassland where they avoid trees and shrubs. They seek out heterogenous patches of prairie that contain clumps of dead grass or other vegetation where they conceal their nest, and also contain barer ground where they forage for insects, spiders, and seeds. Grasshopper sparrows are unusual among New World sparrows in that they sing two distinct song…
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ID tip
These small sparrows measure 10–14 cm (3.9–5.5 in) in length, span about 17.5 cm (6.9 in) across the wings and weigh from 13.8 to 28.4 g (0.49 to 1.00 oz), with an average of 17 g (0.60 oz). Adults have upper parts streaked with brown, grey, black and white; they have a light brown breast, a white belly and a short brown tail. Their face is light brown with a white eye ring and a dark brown crown with a central narrow light stripe. Adults sport bright yellow feathers at the crook of their underwing, and have a yellow-to-amber patch above their lores.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Grasshopper Sparrow sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in St. Pierre & Miquelon.
When to see it
Peak activity in May · a summer visitor species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Grassland SparrowAmmodramus humeralisThe grassland sparrow is a robust species with a large head and a short tail, with a total length of about 13 cm (5 in).
Yellow-browed SparrowAmmodramus aurifronsThe yellow-browed sparrow is a small American sparrow, measuring 13 cm (5 in) in length, with a mass between 14.5 and 19 g (0.5 and 0.7 oz).
Side by side: Black-throated Sparrow vs Grasshopper Sparrow
Learn the Grasshopper Sparrow for real
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