Lincoln's Sparrow

Melospiza lincolnii

Lincoln's Sparrow is a small, brown bird with a sweet song. They love to hide in tall grass and bushes, making them a bit tricky to spot!

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Lincoln's Sparrow has a streaky brown back, a buffy wash across its breast, and fine streaks along its flanks. Its face is grey with a prominent buffy malar stripe, making it subtly distinct from other sparrows.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderPasseriformesFamilyPasserellidaeGenusMelospiza

Lincoln's Sparrow

Interesting facts

Baby sparrows grow super fast, leaving the nest just 9-12 days after hatching!

Lincoln's Sparrows mostly build cup-shaped nests hidden in wet ground depressions.

Their sweet, bubbly song is often compared to the sound of a 'gurgling stream.'

This sparrow was named by John James Audubon after his friend, Thomas Lincoln!

Special abilities

Lincoln's Sparrow can produce a complex, gurgling song, often sung from dense cover, making it hard to spot.

Lincoln's Sparrow has streaky brown and buff plumage that helps them blend perfectly into marshy grasses and shrubs.

Lincoln's Sparrow can migrate thousands of kilometers twice a year because of strong wings and efficient flight.

Measurements & details

Length: 13-15 cm
Wingspan: 18-22 cm
Weight: 0.017-0.023 kg
Lifespan: 2-5 years
Top Speed: 45 km/h
Clutch Size: 3-5
Incubation: 12-14 days
Migration Distance: 2500 km

Diet & Feeding

These sparrows enjoy a mixed diet of tasty insects and small seeds found close to the ground.

Primary Foods

beetles
caterpillars
grass seeds
sedge seeds

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

eaten by

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Accipiter striatus

A common predator of small songbirds, including sparrows.

eaten by

Common Garter Snake

Thamnophis sirtalis

Ground-dwelling snakes may prey on eggs or nestlings.

eats

Kentucky Bluegrass

Poa pratensis

Provides seeds that are an important part of their diet.

shelters

Common Cattail

Typha latifolia

Dense wetland plants offer crucial nesting sites and cover.

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.