The vesper sparrow (''Pooecetes gramineus'') is a medium-sized

New World sparrow New World sparrows are a group of mainly New World passerine birds, forming the family Passerellidae. They are seed-eating birds with conical bills, brown or gray in color, and many species have distinctive head patterns. Although they share t ...

. It is the only member of the genus ''Pooecetes''.

Taxonomy

The Vesper Sparrow is believed to be most closely related to the

Lark sparrow The lark sparrow (''Chondestes grammacus'') is a fairly large New World sparrow. It is the only member of the genus ''Chondestes''. Distribution and habitat It breeds in southern Canada, much of the United States, and northern Mexico. It is much ...

. It is the only species in the genus ''Pooecetes'', meaning grass dweller.

Description

Adults have light brown upper-parts and light under-parts, both with darker streaking. There are three features that are unique to the Vesper Sparrow. The first is the presence of a small, white ring surrounding the eyes. The second is the flash of white tail feathers that occurs during flight. The third is the presence of a chestnut patch on the shoulder. However, this is usually not visible to an observer. Another notable characteristic is that some Sparrows, especially west of the Cascades, tend to have a more pinkish hue. They also do not have a bold eyeline found in some sparrows. Measurements: * Length: 5.1-6.3 in (13-16 cm) * Weight: 0.7-1.0 oz (20-28 g) * Wingspan: 9.4 in (24 cm)

Habitat

Vesper sparrows are primarily found across Canada and most of the northern United States. Unlike some other sparrows in the regions they are found, Vesper sparrows are located in lower elevations of grassy areas such as dry grasslands, sagebrush and fields.

Behavior

Vesper sparrows tend to be more grounded to the shrub area, often taking dust baths and hopping around. Their courtship involves the male sparrow running with his wings raised and occasionally jumping around to sing its song. These birds forage on the ground, mainly eating insects and seeds. Outside the

nesting season The nesting season is the time of year during which birds and some other animals, particularly some reptiles, build nests, lay eggs in them, and in most cases bring up their young. It is usually in the spring. Bird conservation Bird conservat ...

they often feed in small flocks.

Song

The male sings from a higher perch, such as a shrub or fencepost, which indicates his ownership of the nesting territory. The musical song begins with two pairs of repeated whistled notes and ends in a series of trills, somewhat similar to that of the

song sparrow The song sparrow (''Melospiza melodia'') is a medium-sized New World sparrow. Among the native sparrows in North America, it is easily one of the most abundant, variable and adaptable species. Description Adult song sparrows have brown upperp ...

. They have slurred whistles with one lower pitch followed by a second higher pitch. Furthermore, Vesper sparrows make use of short descending trills as a part of their song.

Nesting

Vesper sparrows have loose nests in a cup form on the ground. Females lay 3-5 eggs during May, they incubate for around 2 weeks, and their young fledge in a week. Two broods are raised per season by two sparrows. Breeding usually occurs in open bushy areas across North America.

Migration

Vesper sparrows migrate to the eastern United States, the central United States, Mexico and the Gulf Coast. They migrate to the aforementioned regions around September, with the onset of fall, and return during March as spring arrives to the north.

Threats to Population

While the species as a whole is not threatened or endangered, it has faced declines in population. Between 1970 and 2014, the Vesper Sparrow population has decreased by 30% and currently has an estimated population of around 34 million. The species has a delicate relationship with agricultural land. The loss of farmland due to conversions to more developed regions has created a degree of

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

caused by a reduction in space available for nesting. However, the presence of farmland has also damaged the population. Improper cultivator operations including early and frequent harvesting have destroyed nests and eggs. Fallow strips around farmland have also contributed to habitat loss. The reduction in cover can increase exposure to predators.

References

External links

Vesper Sparrow - ''Pooecetes gramineus''
- USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter {{Taxonbar, from=Q776555 vesper sparrow vesper sparrow Birds of North America vesper sparrow Taxa named by Johann Friedrich Gmelin