August Bird of the Month: Song Sparrow

Like other members of the sparrow family, the Song Sparrow is a medium sized songbird with reddish brown streaks all over it. They typically have white feathers amongst brown streaks through their breast, and grey stripes across their head.

Song Sparrow on a Branch

However, the Song Sparrow displays an amazing variety of color and pattern relative to region. These sparrows are found throughout the US and Canada and are in our region year-round, in backyards and nature areas alike. These are understory birds that forage on the ground or in lower-level plants, hunting for seeds and insects.

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrows typically raise two clutches a year of 3-5 young. Nests are often either on the ground or less than 4’ off the ground, and are a cup made from a variety of weeds, leaves, and grasses with animal hair or other soft material as a liner. The male Song Sparrows use his song to both defend his territory and to attract mates during breeding season.