Field Sparrows are small, slender brown-backed birds streaked with black. Their undersides are gray, as are their heads, and they have a reddish crown and pink bill.
- Spizella pusilla
- Length: 4.7-5.9 in (12-15 cm)
- Weight: 0.4-0.5 oz (11-15 g)
- Wingspan: 7.9 in (20 cm)
Range
Field Sparrows remain all year in eastern US states, but those that breed in the Midwest head south for winter.
Habitat And Diet
You can find Field Sparrows in the breeding season as the males will sing from a perch in the early mornings, so they are easier to spot. Otherwise, they quietly feed on weeds and seeds and can be easily missed as they prefer abandoned fields and are shy.
Field Sparrow Sounds:
A few slow notes that then rapidly speed up into a trill.
Nests
Nests of Field Sparrows are built on the ground for the first brood and then higher and higher as the breeding season goes on. Their nests are made from grass, and they lay up to five eggs which take around two weeks to hatch. After that, the young only take around a week to fledge.
Attract Field Sparrows
Attract them to your backyard with cracked corn, hulled sunflower seeds, and millet.
Fun Fact:
The Field Sparrows’ song is often thought to sound like a bouncing ball coming to a stop.
