LeConte's Sparrow

Ammospiza leconteii

LeConte's Sparrow is a small, secretive bird that loves to hide in tall grasses. With its soft, brown feathers, it blends in well with its home in wetlands and grasslands.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The LeConte's Sparrow is a small, short-tailed bird with a distinctive yellow-orange face, violet-gray nape, and fine streaking on its buffy breast and flanks. Its streaky brown back and bold facial patterns make it visually different from other plain grassland sparrows.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderPasseriformesFamilyPasserellidaeGenusAmmospiza

LeConte's Sparrow

Interesting facts

Their tiny, high-pitched song sounds exactly like a buzzing insect.

These sparrows often prefer to run through grass rather than fly away!

They spend almost their entire lives hidden in tall, dense grass.

This bird is named after an explorer, not because it looks like a count!

Special abilities

LeConte's Sparrow has streaky brown and buff plumage that helps them disappear into tall grasses, making them very hard to spot.

LeConte's Sparrow can sing a faint, high-pitched buzzy trill that sounds like an insect, allowing them to communicate discreetly.

LeConte's Sparrow can quickly run and hop through dense grasses, using its strong legs to navigate thick undergrowth.

Measurements & details

Length: 11-13 cm
Wingspan: 17-19 cm
Weight: 0.011-0.015 kg
Lifespan: 2-6 years
Top Speed: 40 km/h
Clutch Size: 3-5
Incubation: 10-12 days
Migration Distance: 2000 km

Diet & Feeding

This tiny bird mostly eats insects and seeds it finds hidden among the grasses.

Primary Foods

Grasshoppers
Beetles
Spiders
Small caterpillars
Grass seeds
Weed seeds

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

eaten by

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Accipiter striatus

often hunts small birds, including sparrows, in dense cover.

eaten by

Common Garter Snake

Thamnophis sirtalis

preys on small birds and eggs found in grassy habitats.

eats

Differential Grasshopper

Melanoplus differentialis

LeConte's Sparrows forage for these insects in grasslands.

eats

Big bluestem

Andropogon gerardii

The sparrow consumes seeds from this common prairie grass.

Traits

Feathered

Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers.

Solitary

Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.

Singing

Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species.

Grassland

Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.

Insectivorous

This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.