Henslow's Sparrow

Ammodramus henslowii

Order PASSERIFORMES - Family EMBERIZIDAE

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1. Cool Facts
2. Description
3. Similar Species
4. Sound
5. Range
6. Habitat
7. Food
8. Behavior
9. Reproduction
10. Conservation Status
11. Other Names

An uncommon and famously inconspicuous bird, the Henslow's Sparrow breeds in weedy grasslands of the east-central United States. Its population numbers have declined steadily over the past few decades, largely because of habitat loss.

Cool Facts

• The Henslow's Sparrow sings most actively at dawn and dusk, but sometimes sings all night long.

• The Henslow's Sparrow takes flight only with great reluctance, preferring to flee from threats by running through the grass.

• Henslow's Sparrow was named by John James Audubon in honor of John Stevens Henslow, a botanist, minister, good friend of Audubon, and teacher of Charles Darwin.

• Originally the distribution of Henslow's Sparrow was concentrated in two areas: the central prairies of the United States and the coastal marshes of the Atlantic Coast. As the forests in the intervening states were cut down, the Henslow's Sparrow moved into the newly created grasslands, connecting the two centers of distribution. It has largely disappeared from coastal marshes.

Description

• Size: 11-13 cm (4-5 in)
• Wingspan: 20 cm (8 in)
• Weight: 10-15 g (0.35-0.53 ounces)

• Small songbird.
• Mostly brownish, with sparsely streaked breast.
• Large head.
• Short tail.

• Relatively large head and bill.
• Olive-green head and nape, with pattern of dark lines on face.
• Thin white eyering, broken at back of eye.
• Chestnut back and wings streaked with black.
• Buffy breast and flanks with narrow black streaks.
• Bill brown with paler lower mandible.
• Legs light brown or light flesh color.
• Eyes dark brown.

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike.

Immature

Juvenile similar to adult, but with more indistinct markings on head and without streaking across chest.

Similar Species

• Le Conte's Sparrow has bright buffy color on head; nape is gray streaked with purple, not olive-green as in Henslow's.
• Baird's Sparrow also has buff-colored head, with a long, notched tail and a scaly pattern on the back.
• Grasshopper Sparrow has unmarked buffy breast.

Sound

A very simple, thin, two-syllable "tsi-lick."

»listen to songs of this species

Range

Summer Range

Breeds from southeastern Minnesota to northeast Oklahoma, across the Midwest to central New York state and northern Maryland.

Winter Range

Winters in the southeastern United States, from the North Carolina coast to Florida and along the Gulf Coast states to east Texas.

Habitat

Large, flat fields with no woody plants, and with tall, dense grass, a dense litter layer, and standing dead vegetation.

Food

Insects, mostly grasshoppers and beetles.

Behavior

Foraging

Not widely observed; probably feeds on the ground.

Reproduction

Nest Type

An open bowl of loosely woven dry grasses, placed in layer of grass litter just off the ground.

Egg Description

Glossy white, with speckles and blotches.

Clutch Size

2-5 eggs.

Condition at Hatching

Eyes closed, covered with brownish-gray down.

Conservation Status

Declining in the northeastern portion of its range, and apparently increasing in some other parts, the Henslow's Sparrow has been identified as the highest priority for grassland bird conservation in eastern and midwestern North America by Partners in Flight (PIF), a cooperative effort of many organizations dedicated to bird conservation. Henslow's Sparrow does not have federally protected status in the United States, but is listed as Endangered in seven states, as well as Canada. PIF is promoting establishment of large grassland conservation areas for this and other species. The Conservation Reserve Program, a program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that assists farmers in setting aside qualifying land for conservation, has apparently successfully contributed to local population increases in isolated cases.

Other Names

Bruant de Henslow (French)

Sources used to construct this page:

Herkert, J. R., P. D. Vickery, and D. E. Kroodsma. 2002. Henslow's Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii).In The Birds of North America, No. 672 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.