Sagebrush Sparrow
6/9/20262 min
A chill wind ruffles the feathers of a male Sagebrush Sparrow (formerly known as the Sage Sparrow), as he sings atop a tall sagebrush. It is late February, a few miles from the Columbia River in Central Washington. Sagebrush Sparrows are arriving north from wintering in the Southwestern deserts. Unlike most songbirds, male and female Sagebrush Sparrows often arrive on their nesting grounds already paired.
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsMichael Stein· Host0:00
[upbeat music] This is BirdNote. [sagebrush sparrow singing] And this is a sagebrush sparrow singing from atop a big sagebrush. [sagebrush sparrow singing] As their name suggests, sagebrush sparrows live in dry, open shrublands. They winter in the desert Southwest and migrate as far north as central Washington to breed each spring. About the size of a junco, sagebrush sparrows are dressed in soft grays and browns. You'll often spot these dapper birds singing from a high perch, making it easy to view the distinctive patch of dark feathers at the center of their otherwise white breast. [sagebrush sparrow singing] Performance complete, the little bird hops back to the ground to forage for seeds and bugs with his flock. [sagebrush sparrow singing] Look for them running rapidly about, with tails cocked up like scampering chipmunks. [sagebrush sparrow singing] The sparrows' plaintive song seems to convey a sense of their precarious future in the West. Sagebrush sparrow populations have declined by more than 50% since 1970, largely due to habitat loss from urbanization, agricultural conversion, and wildfires. To support our remaining sagebrush sparrows, we have to protect the landscapes they call home. [sagebrush sparrow singing] Learn