# Field Sparrow (*Spizella pusilla*) The Field Sparrow is a small, cheerful bird that loves to sing! It has a pretty brown and white body and can often be found hopping around in fields and bushes. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 18 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Field Sparrow](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Field_sparrow_in_CP_%2841484%29_%28cropped%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Field_sparrow_in_CP_%2841484%29_%28cropped%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Field Sparrow has a rusty-red cap, a clear gray breast without streaks, and a distinctive pink bill. Its back is streaked brown, contrasting with a clear white eye-ring, which helps distinguish it from other sparrows. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Passerellidae - **Genus:** Spizella ## Interesting facts - Field Sparrows often raise two broods of chicks in one summer! - Its sweet song sounds like a tiny bouncing ball slowing down! - These tiny birds build nests so hidden, they are hard to spot! - They use their small pink beak to search for seeds and tiny bugs. ## Special abilities - **Hidden Nester:** Field Sparrows build well-camouflaged nests on the ground or very low in shrubs that helps them hide eggs and chicks. - **Seasonal Songster:** Field Sparrows possess a variable song, with individuals adapting their melodies that helps them attract mates and define territory. - **Seed & Insect Swapper:** Field Sparrows can cleverly switch their diet between seeds and insects that helps them find food easily year-round. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 12-15 cm - **Wingspan:** 19-24 cm - **Weight:** 0.011-0.015 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-7 years - **Speed:** 38 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-5 - **Incubation:** 10-12 days - **Migration Distance:** 1500 km ## Diet & Feeding This little bird eats a mix of seeds and insects, helping to manage pests and spread plant seeds! - **Age differences:** Adults consume more seeds, while nestlings are fed a higher proportion of insects for growth. - **Primary Foods:** Grass seeds, Weed seeds, Beetles, Caterpillars, Grasshoppers, Spiders - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk) (*Accipiter cooperii*) — A common predator of small birds like sparrows. - **Eaten by:** Common Garter Snake (*Thamnophis sirtalis*) — Preys on eggs and nestlings from ground nests. - **Hunts:** [Differential Grasshopper](https://www.snappit.app/explore/differential-grasshopper) (*Melanoplus differentialis*) — Eats these insects, especially during breeding season. - **Shelter:** [Big Bluestem](https://www.snappit.app/explore/big-bluestem) (*Andropogon gerardii*) — Uses tall grasses for nesting and cover from predators. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Field Sparrow? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Field Sparrow? 12-15 cm ### What is Field Sparrow's wingspan? 19-24 cm ### How much does Field Sparrow weigh? 0.011-0.015 kg ### How long does Field Sparrow live? 3-7 years ### How fast can Field Sparrow move? 38 km/h ### What does Field Sparrow eat? This little bird eats a mix of seeds and insects, helping to manage pests and spread plant seeds! ### Where is Field Sparrow usually found? Grasslands ## Where to spot - [Abbott Farm Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abbott-farm-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District - [Albany Pine Bush](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/albany-pine-bush) — New York, US · Nature Reserve - [Chambers County Courthouse Square Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chambers-county-courthouse-square-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Field Farm](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/field-farm) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/midewin-national-tallgrass-prairie) — Illinois, US · Forest - [Pennellville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pennellville-historic-district) — Maine, US · Historic District [View all places to see Field Sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/field-sparrow) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Field Sparrow: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-sparrow)