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Bird name:

Seaside Sparrow

Ammodramus maritimusOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Sparrows (Emberizidae)
Codes: Common Name: SESP Scientific Name: AMMMAR ITIS Taxonomic No.: 179346

Breeding Location:

Marshes



Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Loose colonies



Breeding Population:

Rare



Egg Color:

White to pale green with red brown markings



Number of Eggs:

3 - 6



Incubation Days:

12 - 13



Egg Incubator:

Female



Nest Material:

Dried grass and sedges., Lined with soft finer grasses.



Migration:

Northern birds migrate



Splitbar

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General

Seaside Sparrow: Medium-sized sparrow (maritimus), with streaked olive-gray upperparts and pale buff underparts with streaks on breast and sides. Head has yellow streak between eye and bill. Bill is long with thick base. Tail is short and pointed. Sexes are similar.

Range and Habitat

Seaside Sparrow: Resident in coastal marshes of eastern U.S. and the Gulf Coast.

Breeding and Nesting

Seaside Sparrow: Three to six white to pale green eggs marked with red brown are laid in a nest made of dried grass and sedges, lined with finer grass, and attached to marsh reeds or set on a clump of grass, from 1 to 5 feet above the ground; sometimes higher. Incubation ranges from 12 to 13 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Seaside Sparrow: Eats small snails, insects, crustaceans, and seeds. Forages on the ground, gleaning food as it walks upright like a small rail; also wades in shallow water.

Readily Eats

Sunflower Seed, Commercial Mixed Bird Seed

Vocalization

Seaside Sparrow: Song is a harsh, buzzing "oka-chee-weee", reminiscent of a Red-winged Blackbird. Call is a "chip."

Similar Species

Seaside Sparrow: Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow is smaller, paler, and buff overall with dark streaks on breast, sides, and flanks, black crown, and gray nape.

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Family Buntings, Finches, Sparrows (Emberizidae)_blue
Species Ammodramus maritimus
Length5.25 - 6.5 Inches
Wingspan8 - 8.5 Inches

Seaside Sparrow

Seaside Sparrow: Medium sparrow (maritimus), streaked olive-gray upperparts, pale buff underparts, streaks on breast, sides. Head has yellow streak between eye, bill. Long bill, thick base. Short, pointed tail. Short flights, alternates rapidly beating wings with wings pulled to sides.

● Song: "oka-chee-weee"

● Foraging & Feeding: Seaside Sparrow: Eats small snails, insects, crustaceans, and seeds. Forages on the ground, gleaning food as it walks upright like a small rail; also wades in shallow water.

● Breeding & nesting: Seaside Sparrow: Three to six white to pale green eggs marked with red brown are laid in a nest made of dried grass and sedges, lined with finer grass, and attached to marsh reeds or set on a clump of grass, from 1 to 5 feet above the ground; sometimes higher. Incubation ranges from 12 to 13 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Seaside Sparrow: Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow is smaller, paler, and buff overall with dark streaks on breast, sides, and flanks, black crown, and gray nape.

Flight Pattern

Short flights low over vegetation on rapidly beating wings with alternating breif periods of wings pulled to sides.
Seaside Sparrow Body Illustration_2
● Range & Habitat: Seaside Sparrow: Resident in coastal marshes of eastern U.S. and the Gulf Coast.
BreedingMonogamous, Loose colonies
PopulationRare
MigrationNorthern birds migrate
Weight0.8 Ounces
UnderpartsX
Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.
UpperpartsX
Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.
BreastX
The upper front part of a bird.
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