Lincoln's Sparrow
Melospiza lincolnii
Photo: Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren 路 Wikimedia 路 CC-BY 2.0 (licence)
Call and song
Recording 1 路 song
Recording 2
Recording 3
About the Lincoln's Sparrow
A medium-sized sparrow with crisp patterning. Slightly smaller than Song Sparrow, with finer streaking on breast (like a pen-and-ink drawing vs. an oil painting). Also note thin pale eyering, bright buffy breast that contrasts with white throat and belly, and often peaked crown. Breeds in thickets and shrubby clearings, usually within mixed or coniferous forests. Can be found in any brushy or weedy habitat in migration and winter. Beware of juvenile Song Sparrows in late summer, which can look buffy and show finer streaks than adults. Infrequently visits feeders.
Species account: eBird.org, fetched 2025-12-26 路 How these pages are made
Where it has been recorded
Recorded in 22 of the 253 countries we have eBird lists for. Each opens that country's checklist.
More new world sparrows
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgiana
Song SparrowMelospiza melodia
Savannah SparrowPasserculus sandwichensis
Vesper SparrowPooecetes gramineus
Eastern TowheePipilo erythrophthalmus
White-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollis
Golden-crowned SparrowZonotrichia atricapilla
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrys