Lincoln's sparrow is a small sparrow native to North America. It is a less common passerine bird that often stays hidden under thick ground cover, but can be distinguished by its sweet, wrenlike song. Lincoln's sparrow is one of three species in the genus Melospiza which also includes the song sparrow and the swamp sparrow. It lives in well-covered brushy habitats, often near water. This bird is poorly documented because of its secretive nature and breeding habits solely in boreal regions.
Region
North America
Typical Environment
Breeds across boreal Canada and Alaska, as well as montane meadows and willow–alder thickets in the western United States. Winters from the southern United States through Mexico into parts of northern Central America. Prefers dense, brushy habitats near water such as bog margins, beaver ponds, wet meadows, and riparian shrublands. In winter it uses brushy fields, hedgerows, and thorn scrub with ample ground cover. It typically keeps low and skulks through cover, flushing only at close range.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 3500 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Named by John James Audubon after Thomas Lincoln, who collected the type specimen during a Labrador expedition. Despite its secretive habits, males deliver a sweet, tinkling, wrenlike song from low perches. Nests are usually concealed on or near the ground in dense grasses or sedges, often near water. During the breeding season it becomes more insect-focused and can be seen foraging along bog and thicket edges.
M. lincolnii in Texas
Temperament
secretive and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, usually low between patches of cover
Social Behavior
Breeds in solitary pairs with well-concealed, cup-shaped nests on or near the ground. Outside the breeding season it forages singly or in loose associations, sometimes with mixed sparrow flocks. Males sing from low shrubs or willow tops, often at dawn and dusk. Both sexes remain close to dense cover and rarely venture into open ground for long.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
A sweet, tinkling series that begins with thin introductory notes followed by musical trills and buzzes, reminiscent of a wren. Calls include a sharp tsip and soft chips given from cover.
