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Melospiza melodia

(everybody's darling)

Overview

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Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Click on the language to view common names.

Common Names in Dutch:

Zanggors

Common Names in English:

Bush Sparrow, everybody's darling, ground sparrow, ground-bird, hedge sparrow, Marsh Sparrow, red grassbird, silver tongue, Song Sparrow, Swamp Finch

Common Names in French:

bruant chanteur

Common Names in German:

Singammer

Common Names in Italian:

Passero cantore

Common Names in Spanish:

Chingolo Melodioso, Gorri, Gorrión cantor

Common Names in Swedish:

Sångsparv

Description

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Physical Description

Adult : Face : Eyebrow Line : broad, grayish Malar : dark Neck: Throat : white Body: Breast: streaked brownish, grayish, or brownish-gray Sides: streaked brownish, grayish, or brownish-gray Underparts: whitish Upperparts: brownish, grayish, or brownish-gray, and usually streaked Legs : Foot Color: pinkish Leg Color: pinkish Tail: Length : long Shape : rounded.

Color:

Grayish eyebrow; white throat bordered by a dark stripe ; pale gray to white central crown stripe; variable striping on the head and body; streaking on the neck, flanks, and lower belly; dark central spot on the chest; under parts whitish with streaking; legs and feet pinkish.

Size/Age/Growth

About 5.75 to 7.5 inches long, with a wingspan of 8.25 to 12.5 inches. Adults weigh about 0.7 ounces .

Habitat

The habitats of the Song Sparrow include those used for breeding plus overgrown fields , marshes, brushy fields, and thickets in both residential and agricultural areas.

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 2,911 meters (0 to 9,551 feet).[1]

Ecology: List of Habitats :

Biology

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Diet

Diet consists of insects, seeds, and sometimes fruit. The food is found by searching the ground and nearby vegetation.

Reproduction

The breeding season begins in early April, peaks later that month, and extends into mid-August. Breeding habitat includes open grassy areas with scattered shrubs and trees , shrubby residential areas, hedgerows, and pond edges . Early in the season most nests are on or near the ground ; later nests are built higher up, usually in small trees or shrubs.The nest is cup-shaped and constructed from grass , bark strips, and other plant material . The female lays 2-6 (usually 3-4) eggs that she incubates for 12-14 days. The young are altricial and fledge 9-12 days after hatching . The young are dependent on the adults for 1-2 weeks after leaving the nest. If the female nests again after the first group fledges, the male will take care of the first group of young alone.

Migration

Northern birds migrate

The song of this sparrow is very musical, usually ending in a trill.

Taxonomy

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Synonyms

Melospiza melodia (Wilson, 1810)

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name .

First described: Townsend, C.H. Scientific results of explorations by the U.S. Fish Commission Steamer Albatross. No. XV.-Reptiles from Clarion and Socorro Islands and the Gulf of California, with description of a new species. Proc. US Nat. Mus. 13: 143, 1890.

Last scrutiny: 11-Oct-2007

Similar Species

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Savannah Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow

Members of the genus Melospiza

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 18 species and subspecies in this genus:

M. georgiana (Swamp Song Sparrow) · M. georgiana ericrypta (Swamp Sparrow) · M. georgiana georgiana (Swamp Sparrow) · M. georgiana nigrescens (Coastal Plain Swamp Sparrow) · M. lincolnii (Lincoln's Song Sparrow) · M. lincolnii alticola (Lincoln's Sparrow) · M. lincolnii lincolnii (Lincoln's Song Sparrow) · M. melodia (Everybody's Darling) · M. melodia amaka (Amak Island Song Sparrow) · M. melodia graminea (Santa Barbara Song Sparrow) · M. melodia insignis (Bischoff's Song Sparrow) · M. melodia maxillaris (Suisun Song Sparrow) · M. melodia maxima (Giant Song Sparrow) · M. melodia melodia (Everybody's Darling) · M. melodia pusillula (Alameda Song Sparrow) · M. melodia rufina (Sooty Song Sparrow) · M. melodia samuelis (San Pablo Song Sparrow) · M. melodia sanaka (Aleutian Song Sparrow)

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal March 14, 2008:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. Mean = 28.660 meters (94.029 feet), Standard Deviation = 44.160 based on 111,017 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
Last Revised: 7/14/2012