Open Nests on the Ground 



546. Yellow-winged or Grasshopper Sparrow: Ammo- 



dramus savannarum passerinus (Wils.) 



AduU— Upper parts dark or dusky, the feathers being bordered 

 with buff; back of neck warm brown ; tail feathers rather 

 short and pointed; under parts buffy, shading into white on 

 the belly. The most distinctive features of this bird are the 

 bright yellow at the bend of the wing and the darker yellow 

 in front of the eye, Length— 5.20. 



Immature birds have the breast spotted with dark 

 brown or nearly black. 



Breeding Range— ?xom the Gulf States to New England, probably 

 not north of Massachusetts. 



The nest is either arched or opened. It is made of grass, with 

 fine grass and occasionally horse-hair for lining, and may be 

 found in open fields, usually where the grass is short ; often it is 

 placed under an upturned sod or beneath a tussock. 4 to 5 eggs 

 are laid ; they are white, with few or many reddish brown spots, 

 mostly around the larger end. Size — .73 x .56. See Fig. 14, 

 Plate B. 



The Yellow-winged Sparrow spends nearly all the time on 

 the ground, running through the grass, and only taking wing 

 when forced to do so. When he does fly he gets up with a 

 great deal of noise for so small a bird, and takes a zig-zag course 

 during his short flight, which is seldom more than a few yards. 



The nesting season in the neighbourhood of New York begins 

 about the middle of May. In Illinois eggs have been found from 

 April 20th to August 1 2th. Two broods are reared during the 

 season. 



547. Henslow's Sparrow: Ammodramus henslowii (Aud.) 



Adult — Head dark olive-green ; either side of crown black ; back 

 warm brown ; tail feathers sharply pointed, the middle 

 feathers longest ; breast buffy with black streaks ; belly 

 white or whitish ; yellow at bend of wing and in front of 

 eye. Length — 5.00. 



This bird might be mistaken for the yellow-winged spar- 

 row; its darker colour, greenish tone on back of head, longer 

 tail, with the outside feathers the shortest, should serve to 

 distinguish it. 



Immature birds in first plumage have no spots on the 

 breast. (Chapman.) 



44 



