Basic Description
The Grasshopper Sparrow, also known as Ammodramus savannarum, is a small and secretive bird that belongs to the family of American sparrows. These birds are about 5-6 inches long with a wingspan of approximately 7-8 inches. They have brownish-gray upperparts with black and white markings on their head and face. Their underparts are whitish with fine streaks on the breast.
Where To Find This Bird
Grasshopper Sparrows can be found during the breeding season across many areas in North America, including Canada, Mexico, and most parts of the United States except for some Pacific Coast states. During migration or winter seasons they may move further southward into Central America or northern South America.
Habitat
These sparrows prefer open grassy habitats such as fields, prairies, pastures, meadows and occasionally weedy roadsides or abandoned agricultural land where sufficient cover exists to hide from predators like hawks or snakes. They are not usually found near forests as these types of habitats do not provide enough open space for them to thrive.
Food
Grasshopper Sparrows feed mainly on insects like grasshoppers (thus their name), crickets and beetles along with spiders which make up most of their diet during summer months when insects abound in their habitat area. During winter they switch over to seed diets which include weed seeds especially those from ragweed plants.
Cool Facts
One interesting fact about these birds is that they have unique songs that often sound similar to an insect’s chirp rather than typical bird calls making it hard for humans to locate them by ear alone since they blend so well into their surroundings.
Another notable fact is that unlike other migratory birds who travel long distances, Grasshopper Sparrows are mostly resident to their breeding grounds and do not migrate very far. This has made it easier for researchers to study them in the wild since they can be located easily every year.
Finally, despite being widely distributed across many areas in North America, the population of these birds is declining due to habitat loss caused by human activities such as agricultural expansion and urbanization which continue to threaten their survival. It’s important that we take steps to protect these beautiful birds before it’s too late.
