Lincoln’s Sparrow

September 28, 2018

Lincoln’s Sparrow
Melospiza lincolnii

by Nick Bonomo
No, sparrows are not all just “little brown jobs”! The intricate beauty of this snazzy sparrow will spice up your autumn birding.

What it looks like: Yes, it is little. Yes, it is brown. But there’s so much more than that! A word often used to describe the look of a Lincoln’s Sparrow is “crisp,” due to its fine plumage markings that are especially fresh during autumn. It can be superficially similar to both Song and especially Swamp Sparrow, so be careful to rule those out. Look for gray-brown upperparts with fine black streaks on this “streaky sparrow.”

The bill appears narrow and sharply pointed for a sparrow. Its face is very strongly patterned and includes a gray supercilium and thin, buffy eye ring. But by far its most striking feature shows on its underside – a rich buff (not gray!) breast and flanks that are lined with crisp (there’s that word again!) blackish streaks. The belly is a contrasting clean white.

Where to find it: Any weedy field in the state could conceivably hold one or more Lincoln’s Sparrows during autumn migration. If you have a community garden near you, that would be a fine place to start a search. As they are uncommon, you may have to sort through more common sparrow species to find them.

When to look: Late September though mid-October is their peak migration through Connecticut, though stragglers may linger well into autumn.

Conservation status: Due to its large North American range and stable population, Lincoln’s Sparrow is classified as a species of “Least Concern” by the IUCN.

Photo by Nick Bonomo