LAND BIRDS. 517 
235. Song Sparrow. Melospiza melodia melodia (Gmcl.). (581) 
Synonyms: Ground Sparrow, Ground-bird, Hedge Sparrow, Bush Sparrow.—Fringilla 
melodia, Wilson, 1810, Bonap., Aud., Nutt., 1832.—Fringilla fasciata, Gmel., 1788. 
Meleep is feccinte, Scott, 1876, A. O. U. Check-lists, 1886, 1895.—Melospiza cinera melodia; 
idgw., 1901. 
Plates LI, LIT, and Figure 117. 
Brown or reddish-brown above, ashy or whitish below, but everywhere 
streaked with brownish black, the streaks tending to run together and 
form a large patch or spot in the middle of the breast. 
Distribution.—Hastern United States to the Plains, breeding from 
Virginia and the southern portion of the Lake States northward to the 
Fur Countries. 
This familiar little bird is well distributed in summer over the entire 
state, and under one or another of the above names is well known to almost, 
every dweller in town or country. It is not 
resident in any considerable numbers, even in the 
southernmost parts of the state, yet each winter 
a few individuals may be found in sheltered 
places in the southern half of the Lower Peninsula, 
and in exceptionally mild winters scattering flocks 
of a dozen individuals are seen. The presence of 
these interferes somewhat with the records of spring 
migration, since these birds which have wintered 
begin to sing in February or early March, in fact 
may sing in bright weather during any day in 
winter. 
Song Sparrows appear in numbers in the southern er ee Cn A Cre 
part of the state about the middle of March, and Birds. Houghton, Miffin & Co. 
from this time until the middle of April they are 
moving northward in large numbers. It is one of the species most often 
killed at lighthouses and we have records from Spectacle Reef Light, 
Lake Huron, for April 12, 17, 28, 1890, also for May 15, 1890 and September 
4, 1893. It arrived at Palmer, Marquette county, April 15, 1894, and 
April 5, 1895, and at Sault Ste. Marie April 21, 1899. 
It is found in almost every conceivable place except open pasture lands, 
but shows a decided preference for the neighborhood of water and is most 
abundant in the bushes along streams, about the margins of ponds, along 
the edges of wet woods, and in bushy meadows. In such situations it is 
seen flitting from bush to bush, or more commonly the male is seen perched 
on the top of a bush or fencepost chanting his simple little song from 
morning till night. Hoffman says of the song “It is subject to endless 
variation in the species, and varies to a considerable degree even in the 
same individual, but it commonly begins with three brisk notes or pairs 
of notes ‘whit, whit, whit,’ or ‘o-lit, o-lit, o-lit,’ and in the middle of the 
song there is apt to be a harsh burring note, after which the song quickly 
runs out to some ending.” Bicknell says “It sings with greater constancy 
through the seasons, and with less regard to adverse weather, than any 
other of our song birds. All through the hottest summer weather it is 
songful, though the oppressive days of late August seem sorely to try 
its spirit; but it recovers its cheerfulness with advancing autumn and is 
