Lincoln’s Sparrows are a small songbird native to North America. Here are some interesting facts about these little birds!
The Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) is a small, secretive songbird that breeds across Canada and the western United States. They get their name from sharing a likeness with former president Abraham Lincoln – with their gray caps, finely streaked breasts, and rich rufous wings, they resemble our 16th president in his iconic stovepipe hat. Lincoln’s Sparrows migrate south to winter across the southern U.S. and Mexico after breeding. Though they can be hard to spot among dense vegetation, their sweet songs are a hallmark of spring and summer across much of North America.
Appearance
Lincoln’s Sparrows are a modestly sized sparrow, measuring 4.5-5.5 inches in length with a wingspan around 6-7 inches. Their bodies have a round, plump shape. Adults have gray heads with brown streaking on the crown, napes of a warm rufous color, and buffy underparts with bold dark streaking on the flanks and breast. Their wings feature warm rufous “shoulder patches,” a key field mark. Juveniles are duller overall, with less crisp streaking.
These birds’ most distinctive feature is their facial pattern – they have a gray auricular patch (cheek patch) bordered underneath by a crisp black malar stripe and small black whisker marks. This pattern gives them a refined, “presidential” look.
Voice
One of the best ways to identify Lincoln’s Sparrows is by listening for their song. Males sing a sweet, high-pitched, buzzy trill that speeds up towards the end. Their song has been described as similar to the sound of a ping pong ball bouncing to a stop. They also give chip and seet calls.
Behavior
Lincoln’s Sparrows are shy, elusive birds that tend to hop quietly low in dense shrubs and thickets, often near wetlands. They stay hidden in brush piles or shaded thickets, making them difficult to observe. They forage on or near the ground, hopping between patches of cover while searching for insects, spiders and seeds.
During migration, they travel through weedy fields and roadsides in addition to their typical scrubby habitat. In winter they join mixed flocks of sparrows and other birds foraging in meadows or brush.
Breeding
Lincoln’s Sparrows breed across Canada and Alaska south into the western mountains and Great Plains of the U.S. They arrive on breeding grounds in April-May. Their nests are well-concealed on or near the ground in dense shrubs, grasses, or low branches. Nests are intricately woven from grasses and often lined with fine materials like hair.
Females lay 3-5 eggs that hatch after 11-13 days. Both parents feed the nestlings a diet of insects and spiders. Young leave the nest at 10-12 days old. Lincoln’s Sparrows are sometimes victim to brood parasites like Brown-headed Cowbirds, who lay eggs in their nests.
Migration
Lincoln’s Sparrows are migratory, traveling between breeding and wintering grounds each year. They migrate at night in loose flocks. Spring migration occurs April through May, with fall migration from late September through November.
Their winter range extends from the southern U.S. through Mexico into Central America. Winters are spent in weedy fields, thickets, woodland edges, and scrub. Some populations are short-distance migrants, simply traveling altitudinally to reach their winter grounds.
Habitat
During breeding season, Lincoln’s Sparrows inhabit brushy wetlands across northern North America. They favor sites like bogs, fens, willow thickets near streams or ponds, forest openings, and shrubby meadows. Dense understory vegetation like grasses and shrubs is key.
On migration and in winter they occupy weedy fields, overgrown clearings, scrubby areas, fencerows, and more open habitats with shrubs or brush piles for cover.
Diet
These birds forage on the ground or low in vegetation. Their diet is about 75% insects and other invertebrates like spiders, caterpillars, beetles, and grasshoppers. They supplement this with seeds from grasses and small fruits.
Parents feed a wide variety of insects to nestlings. During winter and migration, seeds and fruits become a larger portion of their diet as insect availability decreases.
Conservation
Lincoln’s Sparrow populations are healthy overall, so they are listed as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN. Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of 67 million. Local populations fluctuate based on habitat availability. In some edge-of-range areas numbers are declining, but their core range remains secure.
Fun Facts
Here are some fun facts about these handsome little sparrows:
- Lincoln’s Sparrows were named by John James Audubon in honor of his friend Thomas Lincoln, despite no relation to Abraham Lincoln.
- Their scientific name means “Lincoln’s finch.”
- They have a faster, more hurried song than similar sparrows
- They share the name “Lincoln Sparrow” with an unrelated Old World species, the Eurasian Tree Sparrow.
- While shy and hard to spot, they will occasionally visit backyard feeders for seeds.
- Alexander Wilson, father of American ornithology, originally misidentified them as Savannah Sparrows.
- These birds have one of the most extensive breeding ranges of any New World sparrow.
- West of the Rockies, they’re more strongly associated with wet meadows than eastern birds.
- Their genus name Melospiza comes from Greek meaning “song finch.”
Summary
In summary, Lincoln’s Sparrows are charming North American songbirds identified by their gray heads, rufous wings, streaked breasts, and sweet buzzy songs. They breed in brushy wetlands and winter in weedy fields and scrubs in the southern U.S. and Mexico. Though often hidden by their secretive habits, their musical trills are a sure sign of spring across much of the continent. Learning to recognize these little lookalikes will reward birders with a glimpse into the life of one of our most widespread yet mysterious sparrows.