Swamp Sparrow

Melospiza georgiana

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernOmnivoreWetlandCup nestSmall · 16 g

What the Swamp Sparrow sounds like

Sonogram of the Swamp Sparrow: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Doug Hynes · Song · South River, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the Swamp Sparrow: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Jonathon Jongsma · Call · Miesville Ravine Park Reserve, Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the Swamp Sparrow: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Jonathon Jongsma · Song · Wild River State Park, Chisago County, Minnesota, United States · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

Measurements: 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. The wings are strikingly rusty. Most males and a few females have rust-colored caps. Their face is gray with a dark line through the eye. They have a short bill and fairly long legs. Immature birds and winter adults usually have two brown crown stripes and much of the gray is replaced with buff. Voice: The song of the swamp sparrow is a monotone trill, slower than that of the chipping sparrow. A male can have a repertoire of several different trills. The common call note is a loud chip reminiscent of a phoebe.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Swamp 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 Swamp Sparrow

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 6 countries with regular records, and 1 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.

Recorded as a rare visitor in Costa Rica.

About the Swamp Sparrow

The swamp sparrow is a medium-sized New World sparrow related to the song sparrow.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Side by side: Song Sparrow vs Swamp Sparrow · Savannah Sparrow vs Swamp Sparrow · Lincoln's Sparrow vs Swamp Sparrow

Learn the Swamp Sparrow in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

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