Cassin's sparrow is a medium-sized sparrow.
Region
Southwestern United States and northern Mexico
Typical Environment
Found from the southern Great Plains and deserts of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and adjacent states into northern and central Mexico, including the Chihuahuan Desert region. Breeding occurs in open, arid to semi-arid grasslands with scattered shrubs such as mesquite, yucca, and cholla. In winter it retreats southward and concentrates more in brushy grasslands of northern Mexico and southern Texas. Local abundance can shift markedly with rainfall and vegetation growth.
Altitude Range
0–2000 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Cassin's sparrow is a medium-sized sparrow noted for its distinctive skylarking display flight, during which the male flutters upward and sings a sweet, rolling song before parachuting down. Populations can irrupt locally after wet years when desert grasslands green up. It tends to be elusive on the ground but conspicuous when singing from yucca, mesquite, or fence posts.
Temperament
secretive and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with fluttering display flights
Social Behavior
Generally solitary or in pairs during breeding, with males defending territories and singing from low perches or during aerial displays. Nests are placed on or near the ground, often under grass tussocks or low shrubs. Outside the breeding season, small loose flocks may form in suitable grasslands.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
A sweet, clear series of trills and tinkling phrases often delivered during a skylarking flight. Calls on the ground are softer chips and tiks, with the song carrying well over open grassland.
