Adult: Has a reddish-brown crown with a gray central stripe. The eyebrow is gray and the eyes are black with a reddish-brown eye stripe. The throat is white with brown marks flanking it. The breast is also white with brown streaks and a large central dot.
Immature: The tail feathers are tapered at the end.
FOOD: Consumes seeds, insects, and fruits.
MATING SYSTEM: monogamous.
BREEDING SYSTEM:
Where Breeds: Breeds in areas of low, shrubby growth and thickets in moist or swampy places (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).
Nest: Early nests are found on the ground under grass or weed clumps and later nest are found in shrubs or in trees up to 4 ft. high, placed in a twig fork (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The nest is a cup made out of dead grasses and weed stems, with rootlets and bark shreds (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The nest is lined with finer grasses and sometimes hair (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The nest is built by the female in 5-10 days (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).
Breeding Season: The breeding season begins in April and ends in August (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). This species sometimes has 3 broods, with lost clutches replaced (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).
Eggs: There are between 4-5 eggs laid in a clutch (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The eggs are subelliptical to short subelliptical or oval in shape and very pale blue to greenish-blue in background color (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The eggs are speckled finely purplish-red to lilac, which is concentrated at the larger end (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The average size of an egg is 22 X 17 mm (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).
Incubation: The incubation period is from 12 to 14 days and is done by the female (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).
Nestling: The young are born altricial and downy, with the down being dark gray in color (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The skin is yellowish in color, the mouth is red, and the gape flanges are bright yellow (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The young fledge from the nest after 10 days and are tended by both parents (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). The eyes of the young open 3 to 4 days after hatching (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997). After fledging the young are fed by the male while the female renests (Baicicich and Harrison, 1997).
MIGRATION STATUS IN WISCONSIN:
The song sparrow is a resident/short-distance migrant.
REFERENCES:
Baicicich, P.J. and Harrison, C.J.O. 1997. A Guide to the Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds, 2nd edition. Academic Press: San Diego.
Stokes, D.W. and Stokes, L.Q. 1996. Field Guide to Birds: Eastern Region. Little, Brown and Co.: Boston.