Guide to North American Birds
Conservation status Around beginning of 20th century, range of species expanded well to the north, as the bird moved into brushy areas and second-growth created by cutting of forests. The range has since contracted sharply again. Bird is now uncommon and possibly declining in the South. Loss of habitat is a major current problem.
Family New World Sparrows
Habitat Open pine or oak woods, palmetto scrub, bushy pastures. Favors relatively open grassy areas. Historically was most common in understory of mature pine forest, where frequent fires limited the amount of brush; as mature forest has become scarce, more Bachman's Sparrows are found in clearcuts, powerline rights-of-way, old pastures, and other open areas.
Plain in appearance but with a beautiful whistled song, Bachman's Sparrow is an uncommon and elusive resident of the Southeast. Its classic habitat is mature pine forest, where it lives in the open grassy understory, flying up to low pine branches only to sing. As such forests have become scarce, it has also nested in brushy open fields. When not singing, this sparrow is extremely secretive, hiding in the undergrowth, and it is easily overlooked.

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Feeding Behavior

Forages almost entirely on the ground, moving rather slowly in a limited area. Picks up items from ground or jumps up to take items from low vegetation.


Eggs

3-4, sometimes 2-5. White, unmarked. Incubation is by female only, about 12-14 days. Young: Both parents bring food to the nestlings. Young leave the nest about 9-10 days after hatching. 1-2 broods per year, perhaps rarely 3.


Young

Both parents bring food to the nestlings. Young leave the nest about 9-10 days after hatching. 1-2 broods per year, perhaps rarely 3.

Diet

Mostly seeds and insects. Diet is not known in detail. In summer, majority of diet apparently is insects, especially beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, also other insects and spiders. Also eats many seeds, particularly those of grasses; seeds may be especially important in diet in winter.


Nesting

In southern areas, members of a pair may remain together at all seasons. Beginning in early spring, male sings to defend nesting territory. Nest site is almost always on the ground, typically placed at the base of a shrub, clump of grass, or palmetto. Occasionally placed a few inches above the ground, within the base of a weed or grass clump. Nest (built by female) is an open cup made of grass, weeds, rootlets, lined with fine grass and animal hair. Often has a domed top of woven grasses at least partially covering nest.

Illustration © David Allen Sibley.
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Text © Kenn Kaufman, adapted from
Lives of North American Birds

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Migration

Southern birds probably permanent residents, northern ones probably migratory; status is hard to assess in many areas because non-breeding birds are so difficult to detect.

  • All Seasons - Common
  • All Seasons - Uncommon
  • Breeding - Common
  • Breeding - Uncommon
  • Winter - Common
  • Winter - Uncommon
  • Migration - Common
  • Migration - Uncommon

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Songs and Calls

Clear, sweet whistle followed by a trill on a different pitch.
Audio © Lang Elliott, Bob McGuire, Kevin Colver, Martyn Stewart and others.
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