A streaky brown song sparrow perched on a stick. — Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Song Sparrow

Melospiza melodia

A streaky brown sparrow heard across North America, with songs that vary from place to place.

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About the Song Sparrow

Song sparrows are 4.3 to 7.1 inches long and are found across North America. They are brown with streaks, though their colors vary by region. They live in open woods, shrubby fields, wet areas and backyards. They hop on the ground looking for insects and seeds, and coastal birds even hunt small crustaceans in shallow water.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Melospiza melodia^[1]
Size: 4.3 to 7.1 inches long; 7- to 10-inch wingspan.^[1]
Diet: Insects and seeds; coastal birds also eat small crustaceans.^[1]
Habitat: Open woodlands, shrubby fields, wetlands, parks and backyards.^[1]
Where it lives: North America; northern birds winter in the southern U.S. and Mexico.^[1]
Group life: Males defend small territories.^[1]
Babies: 3 to 5 eggs, incubated for 12 to 14 days.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2020).^[2]

Fun facts

There are 24 subspecies of song sparrows.^[1]
Song sparrow songs sound different from region to region.^[1]
Song sparrows often nest in the same place year after year.^[1]

Vocabulary

songbird: A perching bird that can sing; songbirds make up about half of all bird species.
subspecies: A group within a species that lives in one area and looks a bit different.
territory: An area an animal claims and defends.
fledge: For a young bird to grow its flight feathers and leave the nest.
least concern: A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Bird HouseSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Song sparrow.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/song-sparrow (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Melospiza melodia (Song Sparrow).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22721058/136876593 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

More Songbirds

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Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusOne of North America's most common birds; males flash red shoulder patches and boldly defend their marsh territories.Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianusA black-and-white songbird whose males wear a bright rose-red patch on the chest; a cousin of the cardinal.Scarlet TanagerPiranga olivaceaA brilliant red-and-black songbird that hides high in the forest canopy; its song sounds like a robin with a sore throat.Superb StarlingLamprotornis superbusA small, shiny blue-green and orange East African starling that lives in family flocks where helpers raise chicks.Swainson's ThrushCatharus ustulatusA robin-shaped forest thrush with a flute-like, upward-spiraling song; nicknamed the 'mosquito thrush.'Taveta Golden WeaverPloceus castaneicepsA bright yellow East African weaver whose males weave fancy grass nests to impress females.Tennessee WarblerLeiothlypis peregrinaA tiny greenish warbler that only passes through Tennessee; it nests in Canada's boreal forest.Turquoise TanagerTangara mexicanaA small, shiny blue-and-black tanager from South American forests that lives in tight family flocks.White-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollisA striped-crowned sparrow whose song sounds like 'Oh sweet Canada, Canada, Canada.'Wood ThrushHylocichla mustelinaA spotted forest thrush with one of the most beautiful songs of any animal; the official bird of Washington, D.C.Yellow-breasted ChatIcteria virensA big, bright-yellow songbird that hides in thickets, sings jumbled songs and holds food with its feet.Yellow-Rumped CaciqueCacicus celaA black-and-yellow South American bird that weaves hanging nests in colonies, often next to wasp nests for protection.Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronataNorth America's most abundant warbler, nicknamed 'butter-butt' for the bright yellow patch above its tail.