Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 4.7 in
12 cm - Wingspan
- 9.1 in
23 cm - Weight
- 0.6–0.7 oz
17–21 g
Other Names
- Bruant de Baird (French)
- Gorrión de Baird (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- Baird's Sparrow is partially nomadic, with breeding populations shifting dramatically among locations from year to year. This tendency probably evolved in response to the effects of drought, fire, and movements of bison herds over the prairie.
- John James Audubon collected the first specimens of Baird's Sparrow in 1843 in North Dakota. The species was not recorded again for 29 years.
- Baird's Sparrow often eludes predators (and human watchers) by running on the ground, rather than flying away.
Habitat
Grassland
Breeds in native mixed-grass and fescue prairie. Winters in grasslands; specific winter habitat requirements not well described.Baird's Sparrow does not inhabit prairie lands where fire suppression and changes in natural grazing patterns have allowed woody vegetation to grow excessively. Some hayfields or pastures may support Baird's Sparrow where native grasses occur in sufficient quantity, but generally cultivated land is far inferior habitat relative to true prairie.
Food
Seeds
Insects and seeds.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 2–6 eggs
- Egg Description
- Grayish white, with brown spots and blotches.
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless, pink and covered with some grayish down.
Nest Description
An open cup, with an outer layer of coarse grass and an inner layer of finer grass and other fiber. Placed in depression on ground, in tuft of grass.
Nest Placement
Ground
Behavior
Ground Forager
Picks insects from ground; gleans grass seeds from stems.
Conservation
Least Concern
Throughout its range, Baird's Sparrow is considered a species of notable conservation concern. Loss and degradation of habitat has dramatically reduced population numbers from historical levels. Conservation of existing habitat is critically important; artificial habitat restoration is unlikely to be suitable for the species.
Credits
- Green, M. T., P. E. Lowther, S. L. Jones, S. K. Davis, and B. C. Dale. 2002. Baird's Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii). In The Birds of North America, No. 638 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.