Baird's sparrow (''Centronyx bairdii'') is a species of North American birds in the family

Passerellidae New World sparrows are a group of mainly New World passerine birds, forming the family Passerellidae. They are seed-eating birds with conical bills, brown or gray in color, and many species have distinctive head patterns. Although they share t ...

of order

Passeriformes A passerine () is any bird of the order Passeriformes (; from Latin 'sparrow' and '-shaped'), which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds, passerines are distinguished from other orders of birds by th ...

. It is a

migratory bird Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between breeding and wintering grounds. Many species of bird migrate. Migration carries high costs in predation and mortality, including from hunting b ...

native to the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Description

The Baird's sparrow can be identified as a small brown streaked sparrow. Their faces are a yellow-brown color featuring subtle black markings. These birds have a narrow band of brown streaks on their chests. This species can be distinguished from others by its unique broad ochre central crown stripe. Juveniles exhibit similar coloration but often have more streaking. Adult size is comparable for both males and females, no

sexual dimorphism Sexual dimorphism is the condition where the sexes of the same animal and/or plant species exhibit different morphological characteristics, particularly characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most an ...

is exhibited. Adults are generally about 12 cm (5") and weigh 17-21 g (½ to ¾ oz); their wingspan is usually around 23 cm (9"). They are larger than

LeConte's sparrow LeConte's sparrow (''Ammospiza leconteii'') is one of the smallest New World sparrow species in North America.Terres, J.K. (1980). The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds. New York: Alfred A. Knopf It is a very secretive bird th ...

and do not exhibit orange coloration on their faces. They exhibit very similar coloration and patterning to

Henslow's sparrow __NOTOC__ Henslow's sparrow (''Centronyx henslowii'') is a passerine bird in the family Passerellidae. It was named by John James Audubon in honor of John Stevens Henslow. It was originally classified in the genus ''Emberiza'' and called ''Hens ...

but do not have green coloration on their faces. The

Savannah sparrow The Savannah sparrow (''Passerculus sandwichensis'') is a small New World sparrow. It was the only member of the genus '' Passerculus'' and is typically the only widely accepted member. Comparison of mtDNA NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 and 3 sequ ...

is more heavily streaked and has an extra white marking on its head.

Distribution and habitat

The Baird's sparrow migrates from its summer breeding habitat, the tall grass prairies of north central United States and South Central Canada, to spend winters in northern Mexico and the southern tip of the United States near Texas."Baird's Sparrow." 2014. Accessed May 1. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/id.aspx?spp=Bairds_sparrow Due to this migratory behavior, they may be spotted all across the Midwest portion of the United States during migratory seasons, but most frequently can be found in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, and Canada during the summer. This species of sparrow resides in grassland habitats. These birds rely on the (now diminishing)

tallgrass prairie The tallgrass prairie is an ecosystem native to central North America. Historically, natural and anthropogenic fire, as well as grazing by large mammals (primarily bison) provided periodic disturbances to these ecosystems, limiting the encroachm ...

s, mixed grass prairies, and moister fescue prairies of northern United States and southern Canada. The dwindling status of this habitat puts many animals whose lifestyles rely on these ecosystems in peril. Land featuring woody vegetation and cultivated land is generally not a suitable environment for Baird's sparrows to thrive in.

Diet habits

Baird's sparrow feed on the ground, picking up insects and grass seeds.

Conservation status and threats

There is some concern about the conservation status of Baird's sparrows; their numbers are reduced compared to historic numbers. This species is listed under the

IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...

under the category of "

least concern A least-concern species is a species that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as evaluated as not being a focus of species conservation because the specific species is still plentiful in the wild. T ...

". Maintaining the original habitat is important for this species because artificial habitat recreation is not suitable for these birds. Fragmentation can lead to adverse conditions for Baird's sparrows, including increased

nest parasitism Brood parasites are animals that rely on others to raise their young. The strategy appears among birds, insects and fish. The brood parasite manipulates a host, either of the same or of another species, to raise its young as if it were its ow ...

Reproduction/life cycle

Baird's sparrows nest on the ground in either depressions or tufts of grass. These nests are usually made out of grass and consist of two layers, with finer material on the inside.Green, M. T., P. E. Lowther, S. L. Jones, S. K. Davis, and B. C. Dale. 2002. Baird's Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii). In The Birds of North America, No. 638 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. These birds nest in small loose colonies. A normal clutch size is usually two to six white-gray eggs with brown spots. These birds are

altricial In biology, altricial species are those in which the young are underdeveloped at the time of birth, but with the aid of their parents mature after birth. Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the mome ...

, and rely on parental care for survival after hatching.

Etymology of the name

The Baird's sparrow was named after the American naturalist Spencer Fullerton Baird.

Historical fact

The Baird's sparrow was first described in North Dakota in 1843 by John James Audubon and another record of this species was not made for 29 years following its discovery.

Fun facts

Breeding populations of Baird's sparrow fluctuate from year to year. This is most likely the result of a variable environment including factors like wildfires, drought, and the movement of bison herds. When confronted with danger or a potential predator, Baird's sparrows may evade their foes by running on foot rather than flying away.

References

* Anonymous (1993). ''Canadian Baird's sparrow recovery plan''. Ottawa: Recovery of Nationally Endangered Wildlife Committee, 1993. vii, 28 p. (36 pages) * De Smet KD. (1991). ''Manitoba's threatened and endangered grassland birds project: 1990 update''. Winnipeg: Manitoba Natural Resources, Wildlife Branch, 1991. iv, 47 p. (53 pages). * De Smet KD. (1992). ''Manitoba's threatened and endangered grassland birds: 1991 update and five year summary''. Winnipeg: Manitoba Natural Resources, Wildlife Branch, 1992. vi, 77 p. (85 pages) * De Smet KD & Miller WS. (1989). ''Status report on the Baird's sparrow, Ammodramus bairdii, in Canada''. Ottawa: Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, 1989. ii, 28 p. (34 pages).

Theses

* Ahlering MA. PhD (2005). ''Settlement cues and resource use by Grasshopper Sparrows and Baird's Sparrows in the Upper Great Plains''. University of Missouri - Columbia, United States, Missouri. * Davis SK. PhD (2003). ''Habitat selection and demography of mixed-grass prairie songbirds in a fragmented landscape''. The University of Regina (Canada), Canada. * Gamble K. MS (2005). ''Habitat use in Baird's and grasshopper sparrows''. University of Missouri - Columbia, United States, Missouri. * Green MT. PhD (1992). ''Adaptations of Baird's sparrows (Ammodramus bairdii) to grasslands: Acoustic communication and nomadism''. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States, North Carolina. * Klippenstine DR. MSc (2005). ''Can egg mimicry by Brown-headed Cowbirds explain the acceptance of brood parasitism by grassland passerines?''. University of Manitoba (Canada), Canada. * Mahon CL. MSc (1995). ''Habitat selection and detectability of Baird's sparrows in southwestern Alberta''. University of Alberta (Canada), Canada.

Articles

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External links

Baird's sparrow photo gallery
VIREO
Baird's Sparrow Identification page
Cornell Lab of Ornithology {{Taxonbar, from=Q1593784, from2=Q28810889 Baird's sparrow Native birds of the Canadian Prairies Native birds of the Plains-Midwest (United States) Baird's sparrow Baird's sparrow