SPARROWS 243 



BACHMAN SPARROW: Peucma aestivalis bachmanii 



(Audubon) . 



(Plate I, Frontispiece.) 



State records. — The Bachman sparrow (see frontispiece) 

 is a fairly common summer resident over most of the State 

 and a rare winter resident in the southern part. N. C. Brown, 

 writing from Coosada, says this bird is very rare in winter, 

 but increases in numbers about the first week in March and 

 becomes rather common. Its song was first heard on March 

 8. Dr. Avery, at Greensboro, took specimens throughout the 

 winter (December 13; January 12; February 7) and found 

 the bird abundant in summer. I saw two single birds at Ash- 

 ford late in November, The species is known to breed at Elk- 

 mont, Sand Mountain (Jackson County) , Guntersville, Ardell, 

 Anniston, Wilsonville, Auburn, York, Woodbine, Autauga- 

 ville, Weogufka, Etin (Clay County), Dothan, Castleberry, 

 and Mobile. Avery found a number of nests at Greensboro 

 and took eggs on April 30, May 8, June 6 and 23, and July 14. 

 Fresh eggs were found at Leighton, July 3, and incubated 

 eggs at Barachias, June 15, 



General habits. — This sparrow inhabits open pine woods 

 and pastures grown up with bushes or small trees. It is a 

 quiet, retiring species but not very suspicious, and will often 

 allow an observer to approach within a few feet. When 

 startled from its nest in preference to flying it runs along 

 the ground like a mouse, and utters a sound like the hissing 

 of a snake. The nest, placed on the ground in dry, grassy 

 fields, often among scattered old field pines, is composed of 

 dry grasses, and lined with fine grass tops ; it is cylindrical in 

 shape and neatly roofed over ; the eggs, 3 to 4 in number, are 

 pure white. 



The song, delivered at any time of day from a somewhat 

 elevated perch, is easily the finest of any of the native spar- 

 rows' songs, being ranked by Chapman as even above the song 

 of the hermit thrush. To my ear it suggests the song of the 

 Bewick wren, but is louder and richer. The form frequently 

 varies in a single individual and as it is pitched in several dif- 

 ferent keys, this adds to its musical effectiveness. In winter 



