Ammospiza leconteii
The LeConte's Sparrow (Ammospiza leconteii) is a diminutive and exquisitely marked North American songbird, known for its secretive nature and preference for dense, grassy habitats. Averaging 11-13 cm (4.3-5.1 in) in length with a wingspan of about 17-19 cm (6.7-7.5 in) and weighing a mere 12-16 grams, it is a master of camouflage. Its most striking features include a distinctive flat-headed profile, a buffy-orange face and breast, a rich purple-gray nape, and fine streaks on its flanks. Diag...
Found primarily in wet grasslands, sedge meadows, and moist prairies with tall, dense vegetation, often at low elevations.
Primarily consumes insects (grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars) during the breeding season and shifts to various grass and weed seeds in winter.
LeConte's Sparrows are intensely secretive diurnal birds, spending most of their time creeping mouse-like through the dense undergrowth, making them incredibly difficult to observe. Foraging occurs primarily on the ground or by gleaning insects and seeds from low-lying stems, using quick, darting...
The breeding range of the LeConte's Sparrow spans the Canadian Prairies, extending from central Alberta eastward through Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and southward into the northern Great Plains of the United States, including eastern Montana, North Dakota, northwestern Minnesota, and northeastern ...
Least Concern
- Named after Dr. John Le Conte, an American physician and naturalist, who was also a cousin of the famous ornithologist John James Audubon. - It is considered one of North America's most elusive and secretive sparrows, often referred to as a 'skulker'. - Its high-pitched, reedy song is frequentl...