THE GRASSHOPPER SPARROW. 



{^Aniinodramus savafinaruni passeriiuis.) 



Of all the bird voices of the meadow, for its interesting originality and its effect in 

 ensemble, we can least spare that of the little Grasshopper Sparrow. — R. M. Silloway, in 

 "wSketches of Some Common Birds." 



This little bird of the meadow and 

 hayfield is quite easily identified by the 

 marked yellow color at the shoulders of 

 the wings, the 3^ellowish color of the 

 lesser wing coverts, the buff colored 

 breast and the orange colored line before 

 the eyes. Its home is on the ground, 

 where its retiring habits lead it to seek 

 the protecting cover of tall grass and 

 other herbage. As it is not often seen 

 except when flushed or when it rises to 

 the rail of a fence or to the top of a tall 

 spear of grass to utter its peculiar song, 

 it is often considered rare. It is, how- 

 ever, a common bird in many localities 

 of its range, which covers the whole of 

 eastern North America, where it builds, 

 upon the ground, its nest of grass lined 

 with hair and a few feathers. It nests as 

 far north as Massachusetts and Minne- 

 sota and winters in the southern states 

 and the adjacent islands. 



This bird was given the name Grass- 

 hopper Sparrow from the fancied resem- 

 blance of its weak cherup — ''a pecuHar 

 monotonous song" — to the shrilling pro- 

 duced by the long-horned grasshopper. 

 However, the song often begins and ends 

 with a faint warble. Mr. Chapman 

 says that these notes "may be written 

 pit tuck zee-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e." 



Mr. Silloway writes at length and en- 

 thusiastically of the Grasshopper Spar- 

 row. He says, "To the sympathetic ear 

 the voice of the humble Grasshopper 

 Sparrow is as necessary to the harmony 

 of the meadow overture as the clear pip- 

 ing of the meadow lark or the jingling 

 triangle of the bobolink. The leading 

 instruments of the orchestra usually re- 

 ceive our attention, yet the accompanying 

 pieces are chiefiy responsible for the re- 

 sulting harmony. Taken alone, the notes 

 of the minor parts are harsh and unme- 



lodious, but sounded in time and accord 

 with the cornet, the first violin, and the 

 double bass, they assist in producing an 

 effect delightful and harmonious. Thus 

 it is with the voices of our little accom- 

 panist in the mottled brown coat. Heard 

 alone at close station, it is seemingly 

 shrill and unmusical ; but in the midst of 

 expanded verdure, following the lead of 

 the meadow voices, its noonday croon- 

 ing produces a dreamy harmony perfect- 

 ly in accord with the thoughts of the lis- 

 tener." 



The name of this little bird is not only 

 appropriate because of its song but also 

 on account of its food. In the examina- 

 tion of one hundred and seventy stom- 

 achs, Dr. Sylvester D. Judd found that 

 the contents contained sixty-three per 

 cent of animal matter, twenty-three per 

 cent of which consisted of the remains of 

 grasshoppers. His investigations covered 

 a period of eight months. Thus during 

 that period these insects formed nearly 

 one-fourth of the total diet of the birds 

 examined. He also discovered that dur- 

 ing the month of June, the greatest num- 

 ber of grasshoppers was eaten and 

 formed about sixty per cent of the stom- 

 ach contents. 



In rural districts it is seldom called a 

 sparrow and is more commonly called 

 Grass-bird, Ground-bird or Grasshopper- 

 bird. Another appropriate name is Yel- 

 low-winged Sparrow. All these names 

 well portray its habits and characterist- 

 ics. Its flights are short and rapid, but 

 "on the ground or in the grass it runs 

 like meadow mice to elude the presence 

 and notice of intruders." 



The Grasshopper Sparrow is an adept 

 in leading an intruder from the vicinity 

 of its nest. The male seldom utters its 

 song close by its brooding mate, and 



