Savanna sparrow

Passerculus sandwichensis

Photo by Simon Barrette (Wikipedia)

Common name:

savanna sparrow (en); tico-tico-dos-prados (pt); bruant des prés (fr); gorrión sabanero (es); grasammer (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Emberizidae

Range:

This North American species breeds across the northern half of North America, throughout Canada, the northern United States, and along the Pacific coast down to California. They winter in the southern and eastern United States, and across Mexico down to Guatemala. There is also a resident population in the highlands of central Mexico.

Size:

The savanna sparrow is 15-15 cm long and has a wingspan of 20-22 cm. They weigh 15-28 g.

Habitat:

These birds live in open areas, such as grassy and wet meadows, farm fields, pastures, roadsides, bogs, the edge of salt marshes, and tundra.

Diet:

Savanna sparrow mainly eat Insects, insect larvae, and other small arthropods. They also consume seeds, especially outside the breeding season.

Breeding:

These birds nest in February-August. The nests are built on the ground, being woven into the shape of a cup using grasses and other vegetation. Females lay 2-6 pale-bluish or greenish eggs, which are incubated for 10-13 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 7-14 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status – LC (Least Concern)

This species has an extremely large breeding range and a global population estimated at 80 million individuals. This species has had stable population trendover the last 40 years and his not threatened at present.