# Vesper Sparrow (*Pooecetes gramineus*) The Vesper Sparrow is a small, brown bird that loves to sing! You can often find it hopping around in fields and grasslands, especially during the warm months. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Vesper Sparrow](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pooecetes_gramineus_-USA-8.jpg&width=800) Photo: Tim from Ithaca, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pooecetes_gramineus_-USA-8.jpg) ## Appearance The Vesper Sparrow is a medium-sized, streaky brown bird with a pale belly. It has a distinctive chestnut patch on its shoulder, a fine eye-ring, and, most notably, white outer tail feathers that flash visibly in flight. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Passerellidae - **Genus:** Pooecetes ## Interesting facts - Baby Vesper Sparrows grow super fast, leaving the nest in just 7-10 days, even before they can fly well! - Their name, "Vesper," means "evening," because they often sing their beautiful song as the sun sets. - They use a cool "double-scratch" move, kicking dirt with both feet at once to find buried snacks. - Wow! The Vesper Sparrow is the ONLY sparrow with white outer tail feathers, like a secret signal! ## Special abilities - **Ground Camouflage Power:** Vesper Sparrows can disappear into grassy fields because their streaky brown feathers perfectly blend with the dry vegetation, protecting them from predators. - **Evening Serenade Skill:** Vesper Sparrows have a beautiful, melodious song they often sing at dusk, giving them their name ("vesper" means evening) and helping them attract mates. - **Hidden Nest Builder:** Vesper Sparrows can build cleverly concealed nests directly on the ground, tucked under dense grass clumps, keeping their eggs safe from prying eyes. - **Seed Scraper Superpower:** Vesper Sparrows use their feet to scratch and kick away leaf litter, uncovering hidden seeds and insects for a tasty meal, much like a tiny chicken! ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 13-16 cm - **Wingspan:** 23-28 cm - **Weight:** 0.02-0.03 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-5 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-5 - **Incubation:** 11-13 days - **Migration Distance:** 2000 km ## Diet & Feeding Tiny ground birds that snack on tasty insects and various seeds found on the ground. - **Age differences:** Adults eat more seeds in winter, while young chicks need protein-rich insects. - **Primary Foods:** Grasshoppers, Beetles, Caterpillars, Spiders, Grass seeds, Wildflower seeds - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Common Garter Snake (*Thamnophis sirtalis*) — preys on nests and young Vesper Sparrow chicks. - **Eaten by:** [Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk) (*Accipiter cooperii*) — hunts adult sparrows in open areas. - **Depends on:** [Big Bluestem](https://www.snappit.app/explore/big-bluestem) (*Andropogon gerardii*) — relies on its seeds for food and dense cover for nests. - **Eats:** [Differential Grasshopper](https://www.snappit.app/explore/differential-grasshopper) (*Melanoplus differentialis*) — a key insect food source for growing chicks and adults. ## 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 It's best to watch birds from a distance and not disturb their nests. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Vesper 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 Vesper Sparrow? 13-16 cm ### What is Vesper Sparrow's wingspan? 23-28 cm ### How much does Vesper Sparrow weigh? 0.02-0.03 kg ### How long does Vesper Sparrow live? 2-5 years ### How fast can Vesper Sparrow move? 40 km/h ### What does Vesper Sparrow eat? Tiny ground birds that snack on tasty insects and various seeds found on the ground. ### Where is Vesper Sparrow usually found? Grasslands ## Where to spot - [Five Channels Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/five-channels-dam) — Michigan, US · Historic Site - [High Trestle Trail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/high-trestle-trail) — Iowa, US · Trail - [Old Administrative Area Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/old-administrative-area-historic-district) — Wyoming, US · Historic District - [Jewel Cave National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jewel-cave-national-monument) — South Dakota, US · National Park - [Kikomun Creek Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kikomun-creek-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Vesper Sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/vesper-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: [Vesper Sparrow: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/vesper-sparrow)