Grasshopper Sparrow Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  Grasshopper Sparrow is on the small side for a sparrow, with a distinctive compact shape. The head is large and flat-crowned, with a conspicuous bill. Tail is very short.

  Relative Size

  Among the smallest birds in its habitat; slightly smaller than a Savannah Sparrow.

  sparrow-sized or smaller

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 4.3-4.5 in (10.8-11.5 cm)
    • Weight: 0.5-0.7 oz (14-20 g)
    • Wingspan: 7.9 in (20 cm)

  © Marc North / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Grasshopper Sparrow is a brown and tan bird with light streaking. The belly is white but the entire breast is unstreaked and buffy. The back is mottled tan, black, and chestnut, and isn’t as streaky as other sparrows. The face is relatively plain with a conspicuous white eyering. They often show a yellow spot between the eye and bill (the lore), and on the bend of the wing.

• Behavior

  Grasshopper Sparrows typically stay close to the ground, preferring to run or walk rather than fly. During the breeding season, males sing from exposed or partially exposed perches near the tops of grass stalks or along barbed wire fences.
• Habitat

  This species breeds in open grasslands, prairies, hayfields, and pastures, typically with some bare ground. Grasshopper Sparrows usually avoid breeding in grasslands with extensive shrub cover, but are a bit more tolerant of shrubs in migration and during the winter.