# 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. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![LeConte's Sparrow](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/LESP-Erickson.jpg&width=800) Photo: Laura Erickson, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LESP-Erickson.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Passerellidae - **Genus:** Ammospiza ## 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 - **Grassland Ghost:** LeConte's Sparrow has streaky brown and buff plumage that helps them disappear into tall grasses, making them very hard to spot. - **Hidden Melody:** LeConte's Sparrow can sing a faint, high-pitched buzzy trill that sounds like an insect, allowing them to communicate discreetly. - **Grassland Skipper:** 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 - **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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/differential-grasshopper) (*Melanoplus differentialis*) — LeConte's Sparrows forage for these insects in grasslands. - **Eats:** [Big bluestem](https://www.snappit.app/explore/big-bluestem) (*Andropogon gerardii*) — The sparrow consumes seeds from this common prairie grass. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [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. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/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. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Threatened](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/threatened): Threatened status denotes a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future without effective conservation interventions. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and be quiet so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify LeConte's 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 LeConte's Sparrow? 11-13 cm ### What is LeConte's Sparrow's wingspan? 17-19 cm ### How much does LeConte's Sparrow weigh? 0.011-0.015 kg ### How long does LeConte's Sparrow live? 2-6 years ### How fast can LeConte's Sparrow move? 40 km/h ### What does LeConte's Sparrow eat? This tiny bird mostly eats insects and seeds it finds hidden among the grasses. ### Where is LeConte's Sparrow usually found? Wetlands ## 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: [LeConte's Sparrow: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lecontes-sparrow)