Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
Photo: Joshua J. Cotten · Unsplash · Unsplash License (licence)
Call and song
Recording 1 · song
Recording 2
Recording 3
About the Song Sparrow
One of the most common and widespread sparrows in North America. Fairly large with a long, rounded tail. Overall coarsely patterned with gray and brown, usually with more reddish-brown wings and tail. Look especially for thick brown streaks on the underparts and a broad dark mustache stripe. Significant variation in plumage geographically: relatively pale and rusty in the southwestern U.S.; blacker streaking in California; overall dusky in the Pacific Northwest. Larger, longer-tailed and usually more rusty than Savannah Sparrow. Found in a variety of scrubby habitats both near and far from human development, especially edges of fields, often near water. Listen for husky "chimp" calls and melodic song with chips and trills.
Species account: eBird.org, fetched 2025-12-26 · How these pages are made
Where it has been recorded
Recorded in 18 of the 253 countries we have eBird lists for. Each opens that country's checklist.
More new world sparrows
Savannah SparrowPasserculus sandwichensis
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolnii
Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgiana
Vesper SparrowPooecetes gramineus
White-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollis
Golden-crowned SparrowZonotrichia atricapilla
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrys
Eastern TowheePipilo erythrophthalmus