287 
Nesting. On the ground, in nest of grasses, arched oyer. 
Distribution. United States, to South America. In western Canada, only known 
from a small area in southwestern Manitoba and Okanagan valley in British Columbia. 
A most inconspicuous little ground Sparrow, inhabiting dry, grassy 
meadows and to be sought for by ear rather than eye. It may be expected 
in southeastern Saskatchewan. 
548. Leconte’s Sparrow. Passerherbulus lecontei. L, 5. A very small Sparrow, 
streaked above and on flanks. Tail feathers sharp and tapering (Figure 267). Adult: 
crown, dark brown with greyish-buff median stripe. Nape, vinaceous, with greyish edgings. 
Back, dark brown with light buff stripes. Suffused with ochre on breast, throat, and 
superciliary line. Grey cheeks, and a brown line back from eye. Abdomen white. 
Juveniles are streaky ochre and brown. More heavily streaked above; paling to nearly 
white on abdomen. Finely striped across breast and on flanks, but clear elsewhere below. 
Distinctions. Among the smallest of the sparrows. Most likely to be confused with 
Nelson’s Sparrow. Adult separated from it by the vinaceous nape-band and lack of any 
tendency towards olive or green on back. The Grasshopper Sparrow has also a vinaceous 
nape, but the lesser wing-coverts and bend of wing are yellow. The juvenile of Leconte’s 
is very like that of Nelson’s, but is generally a paler ochre, lightening to almost white on 
abdomen, and finely but distinctly streaked across breast. 
Field Marks. A diminutive Sparrow that gets up from the long grass, flies a short 
way, and drops into it again, is probably this or the next species. Only close observation 
of the colour characters above, or familiarity with their notes, will separate them in life. 
This species is not quite as closely confined to damp or wet ground as Nelson’s. 
Nesting. On the ground; nest of fine grass. 
Distribution. Central North America. In Canada, the Prairie Provinces, north 
occasionally to Great Slave lake. 
A very inconspicuous bird that only a careful observer will note or 
identify. 
549. Nelson’s Sharp- tailed Sparrow (Including Prairie Sharp- tailed Sparrow). 
Passerherbulus nelsoni. A very small Sparrow with sharp, tapering tail feathers like 
Leconte’s (See Figure 267) ; streaked above and on flanks. Adult: 
crown dark brown with slate-grey median stripe. Nape-band, 
Blaty-olive. Back, dark brown with white stripes. Below, white 
with rich ochre breast-band, extending up sides of neck over face, 
E reducing strong superciliary line. Cheeks, grey with dark stripe 
ack from eye. Juveniles are rich ochre over all, striped above 
with brown, and with no suggestion of white any place. 
Distinctions. Among the smallest of the Sparrows. Very 
likely to be confused with Leconte’s Sparrow. Adult certainly 
separated from it by the olive or slaty-olive nape-band and sharp 
white feather-edge stripes on back. The juvenile is even more 
like Leconte’s, but has no stripes on breast or undersurface, 
and the ochre is deep and rich, lighter on abdomen, but never 
approaching white. 
Field Marks. A diminutive Sparrow that gets up from the 
long grass in damp or wet places, flies a short way, and drops into 
it again, and then steals mouse-like through the cover, is probably either this species or 
Leconte’s. Only close observation of the colour characters above, or familiarity with 
their notes, will separate them in life. 
Nesting. On the ground; nest of fine grass. 
Distribution. Eastern North America. In western Canada, throughout the prairie 
regions (except the southwestern?) ; north, occasionally, to Great Slave lake. 
Figure 267 
Tail of Sharp-tailed 
Sparrow; scale, $. 
SUBSPECIES. The Nelson’s Sharp-tailed of the west is the Prairie Sharp-tailed 
Sparrow Passerherbulus nelsoni nelsoni, and is a stronger and more richly coloured bird 
than the Acadian Sharp-tail of the Atlantic coast. 
Another of the inconspicuous little grass Sparrows, that none but the 
keenest observer will see or recognize. 
