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WetlandCup nestSmall · 17 g
What the Lincoln's Sparrow sounds like
ID tip
Adults have dark-streaked olive-brown upperparts and a light brown breast with fine streaks, a white belly, and a white throat. They have a brown cap with a grey stripe in the middle, olive-brown wings, and a narrow tail. Their face is grey with brown cheeks, a buffy mustache, and a brown line through the eye with a narrow eye ring. Males and females are alike in plumage. They are somewhat similar in appearance to the song sparrow although smaller and trimmer with finer breast streaks. Voice: Lincoln's sparrow is a very secretive species; they are often not seen or heard even where they are common. Only the males are known to sing and their song is unique among the Melospiza genus. They produce a sweet, wrenlike, gurgling song with varied frequencies.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Lincoln's Sparrow
One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 11 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is May, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Lincoln's Sparrow
The map shades 17 countries with regular records, and 3 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
About the Lincoln's Sparrow
Lincoln's sparrow is a small sparrow native to North America. It is a less common passerine bird that often stays hidden under thick ground cover, but can be distinguished by its sweet, wrenlike song. Lincoln's sparrow is one of three species in the genus Melospiza which also includes the song sparrow and the swamp sparrow. It lives in well-covered brushy habitats, often near water. This bird is poorly documented because of its secretive nature and breeding habits solely in boreal regions.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgianaMeasurements:
Length: 4.7–5.9 in (12–15 cm)
Weight: 0.5–0.8 oz (15–23 g)
Wingspan: 7.1–7.5 in (18–19 cm)
Adults have streaked rusty, buff and black upperparts with an unstreaked gray breast, light belly and a white throat.
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaAdult song sparrows have brown upperparts with dark streaks on the back and are white underneath with dark streaking and a dark brown spot in the middle of the breast.
Side by side: Lincoln's Sparrow vs Song Sparrow · Lincoln's Sparrow vs Swamp Sparrow · American Tree Sparrow vs Lincoln's Sparrow · Fox Sparrow vs Lincoln's Sparrow
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