Southern Animas Valley, Hidalgo Co, NM - December 2012
Credit: Nicholas Pederson

North American field guide

Baird's Sparrow

Ammodramus bairdii

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

14 cm (5-6") Uncommon and local. Northern central plains. Prairies, weedy fields.

Head is yellowish-brown with a broad central buff crown stripe. Narrow necklace band of fine black streaks widely spaced across breast. Similar Savannah Sparrow has a narrow whitish crown stripe and more streaking on the underparts.

Secretive.

Song: two to three short thin "zips" then a low musical trill.

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Where it lives

Distribution map

Source legend · original intervals

Loading the rebuilt map…

Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Approximate reconstruction of a historical map. Source date unknown.

Geography: Natural Earth
Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 1 rule

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Baird's Sparrow

1 rule
Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 2
What SIZE was the TAIL ?
Short · Medium · Long
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
Square or slightly notched at the end · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?
None · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?
Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Spotted or mottled · Barred crosswise (from side to side) · Dark band or bands running across the breast or neck · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
Was the HEAD striped ?
Yes · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?
Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Sparrow-like
WHEN was the bird seen ?
Spring · Summer · Fall
What type of environment was the bird seen in?
Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra
result:169-baird-s-sparrow:1:1 Source: 169 Baird's Sparrow, row 1