SPARROWS 



(581) 



Melospiza melodia 

 melodia 



(Wilson.) (Gr., song finch; a melodious 

 song). 



SONG SPARROW. Plumage as 

 shown. Crown rufous-brown with a 

 gray median line; superciHary line and 

 auriculars gray, the latter bordered 

 with brown; a brown maxillary stripe; 

 breast and sides more or less streaked 

 and a larger spot in the centre of the 

 breast. L., 6.25; W., 2.50; T., 2.60; 

 B., ,45. Nest — On the ground or in 

 bushes; of weeds and grasses, lined 

 with fine grass. 



Range — North America east of 

 the Rockies; breeds from Va, and 

 Neb. north to Quebec, Keewatin and 

 Mackenzie. Winters throughout 

 eastern U. S. (581J) DAKOTA 

 SONG SPARROW (M. m. juddi). 

 Sask. south to Turtle Mts., N. Dak. 



very similar species, the former being restricted to Florida 

 and southern Georgia, while the range of the latter extends 

 to the northwest as far as lUinois. 



The Pine-woods Sparrow is found almost exclusively in 

 pine woods, especially those with an undergrowth of scrub 

 palmetto. Bachman's Sparrow, in Georgia, frequents the 

 edges of pine barrens in the tall grass which carpets the wet 

 ground. Both species are about equally difficult to see, for 

 it is almost impossible to make them fly and they rarely get 

 up above the tops of the underbrush or grass. Their songs 

 are sweet, loud and high pitched, more melodious than those 

 of most other sparrows. Their ground nests are partially 

 arched over so as to conceal the pure white, unspotted 

 eggs. 



Some birds have great beauty, some have odd mannerisms 

 and others have pleasing songs, but search our country from 

 ocean to ocean and you can nowhere find a bird that combines 

 so many attractive traits as does the common SONG SPAR- 



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