Baird's sparrow

Baird's sparrow
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Emberizidae
Genus:	Ammodramus
Species:	A. bairdii
Binomial name
Ammodramus bairdii (Audubon, 1844)

Baird's sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii) is a species of North American birds in the family Emberizidae of order Passeriformes. It is a migratory bird native the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Description

The Baird's sparrow can be identified as a small brown streaked sparrow. Their faces are a yellow-brown color featuring subtle black markings. These birds have a narrow band of brown streaks on their chests. This species can be distinguished from others by its unique broad ochre central crown stripe. Juveniles exhibit similar coloration but often have more streaking. Adult size is comparable for both males and females, no sexual dimorphism is exhibited. Adults are generally about 12 cm and weigh 17-21 g; their wingspan is usually around 23 cm.^[2]

They are larger than Le Conte's sparrow and do not exhibit orange coloration on their faces. They exhibit very similar coloration and patterning to Henslow's sparrow but do not have green coloration on their faces. The Savannah sparrow is more heavily streaked and has an extra white marking on its head.^[2]

Distribution and habitat

The Baird's sparrow migrates from its summer breeding habitat, the tall grass prairies of north central United States and South Central Canada, to spend winters in northern Mexico and the southern tip of the United States near Texas.^[2] Due to this migratory behavior, they may be spotted all across the Midwest portion of the United States during migratory seasons, but most frequently can be found in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, and Canada during the summer.

This species of sparrow resides in grassland habitats. These birds rely on the (now diminishing) tallgrass prairies, mixed grass prairies, and moister fescue prairies of northern United States and southern Canada.^[2] The dwindling status of this habitat puts many animals whose lifestyles rely on these ecosystems in peril.^[3] Land featuring woody vegetation and cultivated land is generally not a suitable environment for Baird's sparrows to thrive in.

Diet habits

Baird's sparrow feed on the ground, picking up insects and grass seeds.

Conservation status and threats

There is some concern about the conservation status of Baird's sparrows; their numbers are reduced compared to historic numbers. This species is listed under the IUCN Red List under the category of "least concern".^[2] Maintaining the original habitat is important for this species because artificial habitat recreation is not suitable for these birds. Fragmentation can lead to adverse conditions for Baird's sparrows, including increased nest parasitism.^[4]

Reproduction/life cycle

Baird's sparrows nest on the ground in either depressions or tufts of grass. These nests are usually made out of grass and consist of two layers, with finer material on the inside.^[5] These birds nest in small loose colonies. A normal clutch size is usually two to six white-gray eggs with brown spots.^[4] These birds are altricial, and rely on parental care for survival after hatching.

Etymology of the name

The Baird's sparrow was named after the American naturalist Spencer Fullerton Baird.^[1]

Historical fact

The Baird's sparrow was first described in North Dakota in 1843 by John James Audubon and another record of this species was not made for 29 years following its discovery.^[5]

Fun facts

Breeding populations of Baird's sparrow fluctuate from year to year. This is most likely the result of a variable environment including factors like wildfires, drought, and the movement of bison herds.^[5] When confronted with danger or a potential predator, Baird's sparrows may evade their foes by running on foot rather than flying away.^[5]

References

1. BirdLife International (2012). "Ammodramus bairdii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
2. “Baird’s Sparrow.” 2014. Accessed May 1. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/id.aspx?spp=Bairds_sparrow
3. Madden, E. M., R. K. Murphy, A. J. Hansen, and L. Murray. 2000. “Models for Guiding Management of Prairie Bird Habitat in Northwestern North Dakota.” American Midland Naturalist 144 (2): 377–92. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1043/0003-0031(2000)144(0377:MFGMOP)2.0.CO;2.
4. Davis, S. K., and S. G. Sealy. 1998. “Nesting Biology of the Baird’s Sparrow in Southwestern Manitoba.” Wilson Bulletin 110 (2): 262–70.
5. 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.

Further reading

Book

• 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.

Reports

• Anonymous (1993). Canadian Baird's sparrow recovery plan. Ottawa: Recovery of Nationally Endangered Wildlife Committee, 1993. vii, 28 p. (36 pages)
• De Smet KD. (1991). Manitoba's threatened and endangered grassland birds project: 1990 update. Winnipeg: Manitoba Natural Resources, Wildlife Branch, 1991. iv, 47 p. (53 pages).
• De Smet KD. (1992). Manitoba's threatened and endangered grassland birds: 1991 update and five year summary. Winnipeg: Manitoba Natural Resources, Wildlife Branch, 1992. vi, 77 p. (85 pages)
• De Smet KD & Miller WS. (1989). Status report on the Baird's sparrow, Ammodramus bairdii, in Canada. Ottawa: Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, 1989. ii, 28 p. (34 pages).

Theses

• Ahlering MA. PhD (2005). Settlement cues and resource use by Grasshopper Sparrows and Baird's Sparrows in the Upper Great Plains. University of Missouri - Columbia, United States, Missouri.
• Davis SK. PhD (2003). Habitat selection and demography of mixed-grass prairie songbirds in a fragmented landscape. The University of Regina (Canada), Canada.
• Gamble K. MS (2005). Habitat use in Baird's and grasshopper sparrows. University of Missouri - Columbia, United States, Missouri.
• Green MT. PhD (1992). Adaptations of Baird's sparrows (Ammodramus bairdii) to grasslands: Acoustic communication and nomadism. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States, North Carolina.
• Klippenstine DR. MSc (2005). Can egg mimicry by Brown-headed Cowbirds explain the acceptance of brood parasitism by grassland passerines?. University of Manitoba (Canada), Canada.
• Mahon CL. MSc (1995). Habitat selection and detectability of Baird's sparrows in southwestern Alberta. University of Alberta (Canada), Canada.

Articles

• Ahlering MA, Johnson DH & Faaborg J. (2006). Conspecific attraction in a grassland bird, the Baird's Sparrow. Journal of Field Ornithology. vol 77, no 4. pp. 365–371.
• Bolduc D. (1969). Bairds Sparrow Occurrence Clay County Minnesota USA. Loon. vol 41, no 1.
• Dale BC, Martin PA & Taylor PS. (1997). Effects of hay management on grassland songbirds in Saskatchewan. Wildlife Society Bulletin. vol 25, no 3. pp. 616–626.
• Davis SK. (2003). Nesting ecology of mixed-grass prairie songbirds in southern Saskatchewan. Wilson Bulletin. vol 115, no 2. pp. 119–130.
• Davis SK. (2004). Area sensitivity in grassland passerines: Effects of patch size, patch shape, and vegetation structure on bird abundance and occurrence in southern Saskatchewan. Auk. vol 121, no 4. pp. 1130–1145.
• Davis SK. (2005). Nest-site selection patterns and the influence of vegetation on nest survival of mixed-grass prairie passerines. Condor. vol 107, no 3. pp. 605–616.
• Davis SK, Brigham RM, Shaffer TL & James PC. (2006). Mixed-grass prairie passerines exhibit weak and variable responses to patch size. Auk. vol 123, no 3. pp. 807–821.
• Davis SK, Duncan DC & Skeel M. (1999). Distribution and habitat associations of three endemic grassland songbirds in southern Saskatchewan. Wilson Bulletin. vol 111, no 3. pp. 389–396.
• Davis SK, Duncan DC & Skeel MA. (1996). The Baird's Sparrow: Status resolved. Blue Jay. vol 54, no 4. pp. 185–191.
• Davis SK & Sealy SG. (1998). Nesting biology of the Baird's sparrow in southwestern Manitoba. Wilson Bulletin. vol 110, no 2. pp. 262–270.
• Dieni JS & Jones SL. (2003). Grassland songbird nest site selection patterns in northcentral Montana. Wilson Bulletin. vol 115, no 4. pp. 388–396.
• Gordon CE. (2000). Movement patterns of wintering grassland sparrows in Arizona. Auk. vol 117, no 3. pp. 748–759.
• Johnson DH & Igl LD. (2001). Area requirements of grassland birds: A regional perspective. Auk. vol 118, no 1. pp. 24–34.
• Kyllingstad H. (1977). Bairds Sparrow Singing at Rothsay. Loon. vol 49, no 2.
• Madden EM, Hansen AJ & Murphy RK. (1999). Influence of prescribed fire history on habitat and abundance of passerine birds in northern mixed-grass prairie. Canadian Field Naturalist. vol 113, no 4. pp. 627–640.
• Madden EM, Murphy RK, Hansen AJ & Murray L. (2000). Models for guiding management of prairie bird habitat in northwestern North Dakota. American Midland Naturalist. vol 144, no 2. pp. 377–392.
• Maher WJ. (1979). Nestling Diets of Prairie Passerine Birds at Matador Saskatchewan Canada. Ibis. vol 121, no 4. pp. 437–452.
• Marks JS & Nordhagen T. (2005). Type locality of Ammodramus bairdii (Audubon). Auk. vol 122, no 1. pp. 349–350.
• Martin PA & Forsyth DJ. (2003). Occurrence and productivity of songbirds in prairie farmland under conventional versus minimum tillage regimes. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment. vol 96, no 1-3. pp. 107–117.
• Martin PA, Johnson DL, Forsyth DJ & Hill BD. (2000). Effects of two grasshopper control insecticides on food resources and reproductive success of two species of grassland songbirds. Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry. vol 19, no 12. pp. 2987–2996.
• Pylypec B. (1991). Impacts of Fire on Bird Populations in a Fescue Prairie. Canadian Field Naturalist. vol 105, no 3. pp. 346–349.
• Sutter GC & Brigham RM. (1998). Avifaunal and habitat changes resulting from conversion of native prairie to crested wheat grass: Patterns at songbird community and species levels. Canadian Journal of Zoology. vol 76, no 5. pp. 869–875.
• Sutter GC, Troupe T & Forbes M. (1995). Abundance of Baird's sparrows, Ammodramus bairdii, in native prairie and introduced vegetation. Ecoscience. vol 2, no 4. pp. 344–348.
• Voelker G. (2004). Can migrants do it faster? Accelerated molt of Baird's Sparrows and further insights into southwestern molting grounds. Condor. vol 106, no 4. pp. 910–914.
• Wilson SD & Belcher JW. (1989). Plant and Bird Communities of Native Prairie and Introduced Eurasian Vegetation in Manitoba Canada. Conservation Biology. vol 3, no 1. pp. 39–44.

External links

• Baird's sparrow photo gallery VIREO
• Baird's Sparrow Identification page Cornell Lab of Ornithology