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NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 73 



Le Conte's Sparrow {Ammospiza leconteii) 

 Status: Regular migrant and summer resident. 



Migration: Rare migrant throughout the Valley, fairly common at Crex 

 Meadows, Burnett County. Migrants arrive in the Western Upland about 

 5 May (earliest— 24 April 1976, St. Croix County). LeConte's sparrow is 

 most regularly observed 10-25 May. Fall migration records range from 

 3 September to 4 October (latest— 11 October 1963, Burnett County). 



Nesting Season Distribution: Green and Janssen (1975) show the breeding 

 range of LeConte's sparrow extending throughout the three Minnesota 

 counties. Although summer records exist for Burnett, Polk, and St. Croix 

 counties, young have been observed only at Crex Meadows. The most south- 

 erly breeding season records include single birds near New Richmond, St. 

 Croix County, on 15 June to 2 July 1964, and 16 June 1966 (Robbins 19696), 

 and a singing male near Roberts, St. Croix County, on 27 June 1977 (Sec. 32, 

 T. 30 N., R. 18 W.). Robbins (19696) also recorded LeConte's sparrow in two 

 Polk County locations (T. 35 N., R. 16 W.) on 15 June 1968. Two late May 

 records from Pine County (23 May 1970 and 29 May 1971) were probably of 

 birds on breeding territory. 



The best known and probably most extensively explored summer area for 

 LeConte's sparrow is the Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, Burnett County. 

 Southern (1962) found several LeConte's sparrows in the marshes at Crex 

 Meadows between 23 June and 2 July 1959. Subsequent to his original ob- 

 servations, other birders have investigated this area extensively and have 

 found that this species occurs commonly in proper habitat. On 10 June 1977, 

 I recorded 11 singing males in one marsh at Crex Meadows (Sec. 15, 

 T. 39 N., R. 18 W.). Frequency of occurrence and observations of apparent 

 territorial behavior indicate that LeConte's sparrow still nests at Crex 

 Meadows, although no nests have been obesrved recently. Intensive investi- 

 gation of similar areas in Pine and southern Douglas counties should reveal 

 additional breeding areas. 



Habitat: Typical breeding habitat at Crex Meadows includes extensive 

 stands of Northern Sedge Meadow characterized by manna grass, water 

 sedge, bluejoint grass, rattlesnake grass, and dark-green bulrush. Breeding 

 season records of this sparrow away from Crex Meadows have consisted of 

 birds in drier upland grasses, primarily timothy, bromegrass, and Kentucky 

 bluegrass. 



Henslow's Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) 

 Status: Regular migrant and nesting species. 



Migration: Rare migrant in the Western Upland and Central Plain. Spring 

 migrants arrive in the Western Upland 25 April to 1 May. There is very 

 little movement that could be considered peak spring migration. Most of the 

 birds observed in the Valley appear to be on or near a nesting territory. A 

 Henslow's sparrow was observed at Crex Meadows, Burnett County, on 

 15 May 1954. This is the only record for the Northern Highland. Fall migra- 



