Le Conte's Sparrow

Ammodramus leconteii

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

13 cm (5") Secretive but fairly common. North central United States; southern central Canada; winters in southeastern United States. Tall prairie marsh grass.

Bright orange eye-stripe. Sharp tail. Light stripe through dark crown separates it from similar Sharp-tailed Sparrow. Buffy underparts with streaking confined to sides distinguishes it from similar Grasshopper Sparrow.

Song: two thin grasshopper-like hisses.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

4 photos

Ballard Nature Center in Altamont, Illinois - October 2010

Credit: Sonny Cohen

Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario CA - Harrison Trail - May 2011

Credit: Ric McArthur

Credit: Andy Reago

Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa - October 2009

Credit: Kay Niyo / USFWS

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Le Conte's Sparrow

Credit: Larry Bond

Le Conte's Sparrow -- a very elusive and secretive bird

Credit: johnfeith

Where 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 4 rules

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

Le Conte's Sparrow

4 rules

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 5

What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Pointed or wedge-shaped · Forked · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What were the EYE markings if any ?: Light STRIPE OVER, BEHIND or THROUGH the eye · 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
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:146-le-conte-s-sparrow:1:1 Source: 146 Le Conte's Sparrow, row 1

Rule 2 13 criteria confidence 3

What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Pointed or wedge-shaped · Forked · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What were the EYE markings if any ?: Light STRIPE OVER, BEHIND or THROUGH the eye · 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
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States

result:146-le-conte-s-sparrow:2:1 Source: 146 Le Conte's Sparrow, row 2

Rule 3 13 criteria confidence 1

What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Pointed or wedge-shaped · Forked · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What were the EYE markings if any ?: Light STRIPE OVER, BEHIND or THROUGH the eye · 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
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States · Southwestern United States

result:146-le-conte-s-sparrow:3:1 Source: 146 Le Conte's Sparrow, row 3

Rule 4 13 criteria confidence 1

What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Pointed or wedge-shaped · Forked · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?: Streaked, mottled, spotted, or barred · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Conical and slender · Conical and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What were the EYE markings if any ?: Light STRIPE OVER, BEHIND or THROUGH the eye · 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
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Winter
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States · Southwestern United States

result:146-le-conte-s-sparrow:4:1 Source: 146 Le Conte's Sparrow, row 4