Lincoln’s Sparrow in a tree, Tower Grove (Missouri?), April 2014. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Lincoln’s Sparrow by water, no location given, 2010. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

lincoln's sparrow

Melospiza lincolnii

Identification: 
This small sparrow has a buffy colored upper chest with fine dark streaks, with whiter on the breast below.  It has a faint buff colored eye ring, dark brown stripe, and fine beak.  Often the head looks a bit crested. 

Behavior:
The Lincoln’s Sparrow forages mainly on the ground; during breeding season it mainly eats insects, but during migration and in winter seeds and berries are more important in its diet.  Its song varies less geographically than among other species.

What brings it to the SBG?
Food and cover during migration when the Lincoln’s Sparrow frequents brushy habitat where it can find seeds.  SBG is a perfect stopover spot.  A Lincoln’s Sparrow was observed in late fall 2014 among a flock with several other sparrow species.

When can I see it?
During fall and spring.  The Lincoln’s Sparrow is a hardy traveler, spending summers in the Arctic and winters in the US Southwest and Mexico.   It only crosses Pennsylvania during migration between these far flung destinations.