# 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! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 8 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Lincoln's Sparrow](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lincoln's_sparrow_%2814367%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lincoln's_sparrow_%2814367%29.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Passerellidae - **Genus:** Melospiza ## 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 - **Hidden Harmony:** Lincoln's Sparrow can produce a complex, gurgling song, often sung from dense cover, making it hard to spot. - **Camouflage Cloak:** Lincoln's Sparrow has streaky brown and buff plumage that helps them blend perfectly into marshy grasses and shrubs. - **Long-Haul Flyer:** 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 - **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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/kentucky-bluegrass) (*Poa pratensis*) — Provides seeds that are an important part of their diet. - **Shelter:** Common Cattail (*Typha latifolia*) — Dense wetland plants offer crucial nesting sites and cover. ## 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. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and be quiet so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Lincoln'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 Lincoln's Sparrow? 13-15 cm ### What is Lincoln's Sparrow's wingspan? 18-22 cm ### How much does Lincoln's Sparrow weigh? 0.017-0.023 kg ### How long does Lincoln's Sparrow live? 2-5 years ### How fast can Lincoln's Sparrow move? 45 km/h ### What does Lincoln's Sparrow eat? These sparrows enjoy a mixed diet of tasty insects and small seeds found close to the ground. ### Where is Lincoln's Sparrow usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Kincaid Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kincaid-park) — Alaska, US · Park - [Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/midewin-national-tallgrass-prairie) — Illinois, US · Forest - [Metropolitan Park Bathhouse and Pool Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/metropolitan-park-bathhouse-and-pool-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Assinins](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/assinins) — Michigan, US · Neighborhood - [Dealey Plaza](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dealey-plaza) — Texas, US · Historic District - [Gallup Commercial Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gallup-commercial-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District [View all places to see Lincoln's Sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/lincolns-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: [Lincoln's Sparrow: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lincolns-sparrow)