Grasshopper Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow Information
Length: 4.5 - 5.75"
Habitat: In the Northeast, dry grassy fields, hayfields, overgrown pastures, cultivated fields. Prefers habitat that is not extensively brushy.
Diet: Insects, including grasshoppers (staple), beetles, caterpillars, and crickets; spiders, earthworms, snails, weed seeds, grass seeds, waste grain.
Songs & calls of Grasshopper Sparrow
Additional Information
Grasshopper SparrowIllustration of Grasshopper Sparrow, habitat, weight, length, food, identification, range, reproduction, interesting facts. (From Wildlife in Connecticut)
Grasshopper Sparrow
By Reago & McClarren [CC 2.0]
.jpg){kind=link}
Grasshopper Sparrow
Identification Tips
- Large, conical bill
- Large, flat head
- Short tail
- Buffy face and breast
- White belly and undertail coverts
- Buffy supercilium
- Narrow, whitish crown stripe
- Gray and brown streaks on nape, wing coverts and rump
- Black and white streaking on back
- Sexes similar
- Juvenile plumage (Summer, sometimes Fall) similar to adult but has fine streaks on breast
- Found in open fields
- Forages on the ground
(Credit: U. S. Geological Survey)
Breeding Bird Survey Map,
2011-2015
(Image credit: USGS)
Range in New England
In New England, the Grasshopper Sparrow breeds locally in far southern Maine, southern New Hampshire, western Vermont, as well as the states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
This bird winters in the southern United States, Cuba, Mexico, and Central America. There have been rare winter sightings in the New England area, as can be seen on the eBird map below.
Winter Map from eBird
Sightings of the Grasshopper Sparrow from
Dec-Feb over past 10 years
(2009-2019)
Christmas Bird Count Map
Historical CBC Map from USGS