General

Nelson's 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. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has less gray.

Range and Habitat

Nelson's Sparrow: Breeds from northern Minnesota and the Dakotas to Manitoba and the Northwest Territories. Also found around the Hudson Bay, southern Quebec, and coast of New Brunswick and Maine. Occurs as a migrant in the Midwest and the Atlantic coast. Winters from Delaware to Texas. Inhabits salt marshes.

Breeding and Nesting

Nelson's 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.

Foraging and Feeding

Nelson's Sparrow: Feeds mainly on insects, aquatic invertebrates, and seeds. Forages on the ground or in marsh vegetation; sometimes probes mud.

Readily Eats

Sunflower Seed, Commercial Mixed Bird Seed

Vocalization

Nelson's Sparrow: Song is a raspy trill, “psdhee-zipt”, “pshhh’tpt” or "p-tssssshh-uk." It sounds like water being dropped onto a hot skillet. Call is a sharp "chip" or "tsik."

Similar Species

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