Grasshopper Sparrow: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Songbirds of the Americas · day 5 of 7

Five facts

1. Its main song is a few short notes and then a long, thin buzz, 'tup zeeee'. It sounds so much like a grasshopper that it gave the bird its name.
2. Unusually for an American sparrow, the male has two quite different songs. The second, more musical one helps him bond with his mate.
3. Tracked birds flew about 2,500 km in roughly 30 days on migration, covering around 82 km a day, mostly over land.
4. The female builds a little domed nest on the ground, tucked deep in the grass, with a small door on one side.
5. It steers clear of trees and bushes. In wetter regions it likes prairies burned every 2 to 3 years and grazed a little by cattle or bison.

The quiz

1. Why is it called the grasshopper sparrow?

• It only eats grasshoppers
• It hops instead of flying
• Its buzzing song sounds like a grasshopper (correct)
• It is green like a grasshopper

Its main song, ending in a long high trill, resembles a grasshopper's sound.

2. What is the male's second, more musical song used for?

• Building and keeping a bond with his mate (correct)
• Scaring away snakes
• Calling the flock to migrate
• Finding insects in the dark

Males sing this alternate song in the breeding season to form and keep pair bonds.

3. About how far did tracked grasshopper sparrows fly on migration?

• About 25 km
• About 250 km
• About 25,000 km
• About 2,500 km (correct)

On average they flew about 2,500 km in around 30 days.

4. What does a grasshopper sparrow nest look like?

• A mud cup stuck to a cliff
• A dome on the ground with a side opening (correct)
• A hole dug in a tree trunk
• A floating mat of reeds

It is a well-hidden, dome-shaped nest on the ground with a small side opening.

5. Which kind of place does the grasshopper sparrow avoid?

• Prairies grazed by bison
• Open grassland
• Areas with trees and shrubs (correct)
• Fields of grass

It avoids woody plants and prefers open, moderately grazed grassland.

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