292 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Haunts and habits. The Grasshopper sparrow, or Yellow-winged 

 sparrow as it is frequently called, inhabits meadows, clover fields and weed 

 fields, usually on dryer ground than the Henslow sparrow or the Savannah 

 sparrow, often seeming to prefer sandy, rolling plains and upland meadows. 

 It is frequently seen seated on a mullein stalk, fence post, or any con- 

 venient object, singing its insectlike song, which has been written " pit- 

 tuck, zee-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e." This note resembles very much the performance 

 of a meadow grasshopper, and is so high in pitch that it is inaudible to 

 the ears of many persons unless the bird is singing within a distance of 



Grasshopper sparrow's nest and eggs 



2 or 3 rods. Mr Gerald Thayer writes the song " sit-tit, ts-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e- 

 c-e-e." This, however, he does not regard as the true song of the bird, 

 which sounds to him like a " long rambling twitter " uttered in a tone 

 similar to that of the shorter note and about as loud, but lasts as much 

 as io or 12 seconds. This rolling twitter is uttered when the male and 

 female are flying together over the meadows or seated near each other. 

 Mr Fuertes compares the song to that of the Prairie horned lark when 

 the latter is heard at a considerable distance. It is usually uttered toward 

 evening, and in May can sometimes be heard in the dusk as late as half 



