BIRD MONOGRAPHS: by Donald Wilkinson (
VESPER SPARROW (Pooecetes gramineus)

Order: PASSIFORMES Species: 28-55-077

Family: EMBERIZIDAE - Buntings, Sparrows, and Allies

Distribution: Fairly common and widespread across Canada and USA from B.C. to
Nova Scotia and extending north to sw N.W.T.; also south right across
central U.S. plus central California to central New mexico. Winters
from Connecticut and Penns. south then west through the southern states
and Gulf Coast to Baja California and Mexico.

Nest: Ground-built under dead weed stems in small depression near to small
patches of bare ground, at base of grass tussocks or dirt clods. Found
in alfalfa fields, previous year cornfields, seashore beach grass,
sagebrush in Rockies, fields, and pastures.

Eggs: 3 to 5; cream-white, pale green-white, spotted, blotched, and scrawled
with brown.

Diet: Searches busily for beetles, grasshoppers, army worms, cutworms, and
moths; also plenty of weed seeds and waste grain.

Song: Two long notes, followed by two higher notes with descending trills,
given sweetly and plaintively.

Size: 5 to 6.5 in. (13 to 17 cm)