Ammospiza caudacuta
The Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta) is a secretive and highly specialized songbird, instantly recognizable by its vibrant orange-tan face, dark crown, and softly streaked, buffy breast. Averaging 12-14 cm (4.7-5.5 inches) in length with a wingspan of 18-20 cm (7-8 inches) and weighing around 16-24 grams, this diminutive sparrow possesses a notably short, pointed tail, a key identifier among its coastal relatives. Taxonomically, it belongs to the New World Sparrows (Passerellidae) and ...
Exclusively found in coastal salt marshes and tidal wetlands along the Atlantic seaboard, nesting just above the high tide line at sea level.
Primarily feeds on insects and other invertebrates (spiders, grasshoppers, beetles, flies) gleaned from marsh grasses, supplemented with some seeds.
Saltmarsh Sparrows are primarily diurnal but notoriously secretive, spending most of their time foraging low in dense marsh vegetation and typically roosting in similar protective cover. They employ a 'walking-up' foraging technique, gleaning insects and spiders from stems and leaves of marsh gra...
The Saltmarsh Sparrow's breeding range is narrowly restricted to coastal salt marshes along the Atlantic seaboard of North America, stretching from southern Maine south to the Chesapeake Bay in northern Virginia. Isolated breeding populations may occur further south in the Carolinas. During the n...
Vulnerable
- Saltmarsh Sparrows are often called 'tidal sparrows' due to their extreme reliance on the daily ebb and flow of the tides for survival. - They build their nests quickly and strategically, often elevating them as high as possible in marsh grasses, anticipating the next high tide cycle to keep th...