Song Sparrow: how to recognise it
A bird of Europe and North America. Learn the marks that make it easy to identify, then practise with real photographs in Lore.
Practise with real photosAll species guides
Photo © Ad Konings · CC BY-NC · iNaturalist · all photo credits
- Scientific name
- Melospiza melodia
- Family
- New World Sparrows
- Size
- About 15 cm
- Habitat
- Brushy edges and marshes
- Found in
- Europe and North America
The key marks
A streaked chest with a dark central spot, a grey face with a brown cap and a pumping tail in flight. Savannah Sparrow has a yellow patch before the eye and a notched tail.
Voice
Three or four clear notes followed by a buzzy trill.
Good to know
Each male has several song types.
Do not confuse with
Compare it with the Savannah Sparrow. Look at the marks above one by one rather than the overall colour, and practise telling the two apart with real photos.
Where and when
You can expect to find it in brushy edges and marshes. It is especially common in Canada, the United States and California. Distribution changes with the seasons and from year to year, so check a recent local observation source before you go looking.