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Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow

Ammodramus nelsoniOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Sparrows (Emberizidae)
Codes: Common Name: NSTS Scientific Name: AMMNEL ITIS Taxonomic No.: 554031
Least Concern
 
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow
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Overview

Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow: Small sparrow with brown streaked upperparts. Breast and sides are pale brown with pale streaks; throat, belly, and undertail coverts are white. Head has gray-brown crown and nape, orange-brown face, and gray cheeks. Tail is short and pointed. Pink-gray legs and feet.

Range and Habitat

Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow: Breeds from northern Illinois northward to Dakota and Manitoba; occurs as a migrant on the Atlantic coast, and winters from South Carolina to Texas. Inhabits salt marshes.

Topo Map: Perching-like Body


Listen to Call

Voice Text

"p-tssssshh-uk"

Interesting Facts

 Prior to 1995, Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow and Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow were considered the same species, the Sharp-tailed Sparrow.

 They are difficult to census due to their secretive nature and unpredictable singing patterns. They do not respond to spishing and may run along the ground instead of fly when disturbed.

 This bird was named after Edward William Nelson, an American naturalist.

 A group of sparrows has many collective nouns, including a "crew", "flutter", "meinie", "quarrel", and "ubiquity" of sparrows.


Bird Term Glossary



Author

Gary Owen Dick

Artist

Imran Kahn

Splitbar
Range Map for Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow

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Family Buntings, Finches, Sparrows (Emberizidae)_blue
Species Ammodramus nelsoni
Length4.75 Inches
Wingspan7.25 Inches

Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow

Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow: Small sparrow with brown streaked upperparts. Breast and sides are pale brown with pale streaks; throat, belly, and undertail coverts are white. Head has gray-brown crown and nape, orange-brown face, and gray cheeks. Tail is short and pointed. Pink-gray legs and feet.

● Song: "p-tssssshh-uk"

● Foraging & Feeding: Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow: Feeds mainly on insects, aquatic invertebrates, and seeds. Forages on the ground or in marsh vegetation; sometimes probes mud.

● Breeding & nesting: Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow: Three to seven light green eggs with heavy brown spots are laid in an open cup nest made of dry grass and stems, and attached to vegetation close to the ground. Eggs are incubated for 11 days by the female.

● Similar species: Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow: Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow has a white throat separated from orange-brown face by a dark streak and heavier streaked breast.

Flight Pattern

Alternates several rapid wing beats with wings pulled to sides.
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow: Breeds from northern Illinois northward to Dakota and Manitoba; occurs as a migrant on the Atlantic coast, and winters from South Carolina to Texas. Inhabits salt marshes.
BreedingPolygamous, Loose colonies
PopulationFairly common
MigrationMigratory
Weight0.5 - 0.6 Ounces
Perching-like BodyX
Undertail covertsX
Small feathers that cover the areas where the retrices (tail feathers) attach to the rump.
UpperpartsX
Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.
BellyX
The ventral part of the bird, or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast. Flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast.
BreastX
The upper front part of a bird.
CrownX
The crown is the top part of the birds head.
FaceX
The front part of the head consisting of the bill, eyes, cheeks and chin.
NapeX
Also called the hindneck or collar, it is the back of the neck where the head joins the body.
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

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ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

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Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX