North American field guide
Grasshopper Sparrow
Ammodramus savannarum
Identification
Field notes
13 cm (5") Fairly common. Throughout United States; range just enters southern Canada. Pastures, hayfields, grasslands, palmetto scrub, and weedy fallow fields.
Adults usually have unstreaked buffy breast and sides but immatures are streaked on underparts. Dark crown with a light central stripe on a flat head. Tail is very short and sharp. Similar Le Conte's Sparrow has a buffy eyebrow stripe.
Song: grasshopper-like buzz.
Details in the field
Photo gallery
Watch and learn
Videos
Grasshopper Sparrow Portrait
Credit: Larry BondRevealing a Grasshopper Sparrow
Credit: Larry BondWhere it lives
Distribution maps
Source legend · original intervals
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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence
Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.
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.
Grasshopper Sparrow
1 ruleRule 1 11 criteria · confidence 4
- What SIZE was the TAIL ?
- Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
- Pointed or wedge-shaped · Forked · Unknown
- What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?
- Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
- What colour was the BELLY ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
- What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
- Uniform color · Unknown
- What colour was the BREAST ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · 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
- How BIG was the bird ?
- Smaller than a sparrow · Sparrow-sized
- What TYPE of bird was seen ?
- Sparrow-like