In this post I will use Song Sparrow as the baseline and compare species to it. Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus). This behavior offers an advantage for the birder who can then see the white outer tail feathers as the bird flies away. Large, drab, streaky sparrow of grasslands, second growth, and bare ground. Change ). Vesper means “evening.”. Includes photos, illustration with field marks, and range map. The male often takes over feeding completely when the female starts the second brood. They have experienced significant declines as forest regeneration and farmland abandonment progress in the northeast. Characteristically, the Vesper Sparrow will fly away when disturbed. The nest is a bulky open cup lined with fine grasses into which 3-4 eggs are deposited and incubated by the female. Vesper Sparrows are seasonal (fall/winter) migrants in southern Arizona. Site developed and hosted by Rogue Vesper Sparrows also lack the bold eyeline found in the Savannah Sparrow. We respect your privacy. A lot of sparrow species are only subtly different in appearance from other sparrow species. They love to congregate in flocks, sometimes fairly large flocks, along roadsides and ditches, foraging in weeds and brushy vegetation. © var year = new Date();document.write(year.getFullYear()); Klamath Bird Observatory. The distribution of Vesper Sparrow has responded to the availability of grassland, which has varied over the past two centuries both in the State of Washington and across the continent of North American. Although its most characteristic feature is a small chestnut patch on the shoulder, it's often hidden from view. Because when the tail of a bird is folded, the outer tail feathers end up on the bottom, the tail of the Vesper Sparrow looks all white from below. The Vesper Sparrow is a grassland specialist which often sings in the evening. Web Works. These include prescribed burns, livestock grazing, and mine reclamation. ( Log Out /  The Vesper Sparrow responds quickly to changes in habitat; it is often the first bird species to occupy reclaimed mine sites and abandon old farm fields as they revert to forest. and J.E. This species breeding range extends north to south from Alberta, Canada to Central Arizona and east to west from Nova Scotia to Oregon. The vesper sparrow is a stocky, short-tailed, grayish-brown sparrow with a streaked breast. Vespers is also the name of the canonical hour for evening prayer. Tagged: bird of the month, vesper sparrow. In summer, its clear musical song may be heard at any time of day; but the naturalist John Burroughs, feeling that it sang most impressively in the evening, gave it the name of Vesper Sparrow. The Vesper Sparrow inhabits grasslands and fields across much of the northern United States and Canada. Charitable donations to KBO are tax-deductible.Tax ID# 93-1297400. As its name suggests, it frequently sings in the twilight of vespers—a sweet series of musical slurs and trills. Sparrow is from the Anglo-Saxon, spearwa, meaning to flutter (Holloway). The vesper sparrow is a large to medium-sized grassland bird that is named for its tendency to sing just before dusk. Images made with a Canon R5, Canon RF 100-500mm f4.5-7.1 IS L zoom lens+1.4x telextender, M setting (auto ISO), ISO 1250, f10 @ 1/1250, +1/3 stop exposure compensation. Vesper Sparrows are a medium-large sparrow approximately 15 cm long. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Indeed, this bird gives me fits at times, because it very closely resembles another common sparrow species, the Savannah Sparrow. They are grayish brown above and buffy below with brown streaks. The upperparts are pale gray-brown and marked with black streaking. Eastside Audubon   |   Email: office@eastsideaudubon.org   |   Phone: 425-576-8805, President’s Letter: Navigating a Changed World. A remnant population continues in the remaining area of the South Sound Prairies, following decades of suitable habitat being destroyed by development, invasion of scotch broom, and expansion of forests resulting from fire control (Wahl, Tweit, & Mlodinow). Pooecetes gramineus A rather chunky sparrow of the open fields, known at all seasons by its streaked appearance and its white outer tail feathers. Photo by Tom Murray. Vesper Sparrow Identification Vesper Sparrows are a medium-large sparrow approximately 15 cm long. (From WhatBird.com) Song and calls of the Vesper Sparrow Identification tips for the Vesper Sparrow . Also, surprisingly evident is a narrow white eye-ring” (Dunne, p. 599). Their summer breeding range includes the northern third of the United States, all of Canada, including its subarctic region, and Alaska. Sexes are alike and plumage is similar throughout the year. The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds, birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation. It is grayish-brown above and whitish below with dark blackish-brown streaking. Populations peaked in the late 19th and early 20th century as a result of forest clearing. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Vesper Sparrows sing a sweet tinkling song during the day and well into the evening hours—the twilight of vespers, prompting its name. Species Account Number 624. Vesper refers to the evening when this bird can be heard singing. Sign up with your email address to receive the latest news and information about upcoming events. The species epithet is gramineus, from the Latin for covered with grass. Ithaca, NY: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; Retrieved 3/25/2008 from The Birds of North America Online database For sparrow identification there are many aspects that we have to consider. This species is unique in that it requires patches of bare ground within its breeding territory, making severely disturbed habitats such as reclaimed mines, overgrazed pasture, and row crops potentially suitable. Vesper Sparrow populations declined by 37 percent between 1966 and 2014, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. ( Log Out /  Ironically, the loss of sagebrush habitat has aided Vesper Sparrow, which will replace Brewer’s and Sagebrush Sparrows as sagebrush is removed. That they are so common does not render them any less charming. The species epithet is gramineus, from the Latin for covered with grass. This time of year I encounter these sparrows as often or more often than I encounter any other sparrow species. They are grayish brown above and buffy below with brown streaks. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Vesper Sparrow Identification Vesper Sparrows are a medium-large sparrow approximately 15 cm long. Vesper Sparrows are often detected by their melodious song. Learn how your comment data is processed. Although its most characteristic feature is a small chestnut patch on the shoulder, it's often hidden from view. I love to photograph these often overlooked little birds. There are five species of sparrows that include Savannah, Vesper, Fox, Song, and Lincoln's that look similar, at least superficially. Nests are constructed on the ground often under or at the base of vegetation. The Vesper Sparrow is a large, pale, dishwater gray-brown, ground-loving, streaky sparrow. Vesper Sparrows are the only nesting sparrows of the open, low valleys of Washington that display white outer tail feathers in … In New York it is most commonly found in the Erie-Ontario Plain and the Central Appalachians. This streaky brown sparrow has a thin white eyering and flashes white tail feathers in flight; two features unique to the Vesper Sparrow. The Vesper Sparrow is the only species in the genus Pooecetes, from the Greek for grass dwelling; poe, grass, and oiketes, dweller. Vesper Sparrows prefer grasslands and open areas. However, during the second half of the 20th Century forests have expanded as farms were abandoned and the Vesper Sparrow’s habitat has contracted (Wahl, Tweit, & Mlodinow, Jones & Cornely). ( Log Out /  A brown cheek patch, which reaches behind the eye, is adjacent to a white stripe that extends down from the bill. It can be distinguished from the song sparrow by larger size, shorter tail, and paler coloration. They are grayish brown above and buffy below with brown streaks. The bird that I’m depicting here possesses those characteristics. A lot of sparrow species are only subtly different in appearance from other sparrow species. It continues to decline throughout much of its range. Vesper Sparrow . Generally speaking, it prefers habitat that has some shrubs, even very short ones of only a few inches, which the male uses as a perch for singing to mark territory. References available upon request from amccormick@eastsideaudubon.org. Similar species include the Song Sparrow and Savannah Sparrow, but both of these species lack white outer tail feathers and the white eye-ring. It is woven out of grasses and lined with fine grasses, feathers, and hair. It is grayish-brown above and whitish below with dark blackish-brown streaking. Fledging occurs at approximately 9 to 10 days old with the young depending on their parents for 20 to 30 days after fledging. Its wintering range extends north to south from Central California to Central Mexico and east to west from Florida to California. Forages mainly on the ground. Jones, S.L. Length: 6.25”” Wingspan: 10” Weight: 0.91 oz (26 g) AOU Alpha Code: VESP.

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