LeConte's Sparrow
(Ammospiza leconteii)

Overview

Summary

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LeConte's Sparrow is a secretive species of open, grassy habitats in the Canadian Prairie provinces, with small, scattered populations in Ontario and Quebec. Results from the Breeding Bird Survey and Christmas Bird Count suggest a decrease in population since 1970. With over 80% of the global breeding population, Canada's responsibility for this species is very high. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.

Designations

Population status

Population estimate

Distribution maps

• North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS): Relative Abundance and Breeding Distribution (1970-2016)

Migration strategy, occurrence

Responsibility for conservation

General nesting period in Canada

Conservation and management

Although not sensitive to patch size or amount of forest nearby (Winter et al. 2005), annual mowing of its tall grass habitat can negatively impact the abundance of LeConte's Sparrow (Dale et al. 1997, Lowther 2005). Burning of grassland habitat decreases numbers in the short-term (Grant et al. 2010), but appears to have a positive influence on presence and abundance of the species, probably due to reduction of encroaching woody vegetation and stimulation of grass growth (Madden et al. 1999).

Bird conservation region strategies

Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:

• conservation concerns (i.e., species vulnerable due to population size, distribution, population trend, abundance, or threats)
• stewardship responsibilities (i.e., species that typify the regional avifauna or have a large proportion of their range or population in the sub-region)
• management concerns (i.e., species that require ongoing management because of their socio-economic importance as game species, or because of their impacts on other species or habitats)
• other concerns (i.e., species deemed a priority by regional experts for other reasons than those listed above or because they are listed as species at risk or concern at the provincial level)

Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.

References

• Dale, B.C., P.A. Martin, and P.S. Taylor. 1997. Effects of hay management on grassland songbirds in Saskatchewan. Wildlife Society Bulletin 25:616-626. Dale, B.C., P.A. Martin, and P.S. Taylor. 1997. Effects of hay management on grassland songbirds in Saskatchewan. Wildlife Society Bulletin 25:616-626. (Link)
• Grant, T.A., E. M. Madden, T.L. Shaffer and J.S. Dockens. 2010. Effects of prescribed fire on vegetation and passerine birds in northern mixed-grass prairie. Journal of Wildlife Management 74:1841-1851.
• Lowther, P.E. 2005. Le Conte's Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Lowther, P.E. 2005. Le Conte's Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. (Link)
• Madden, E.M., A.J. Hansen and R.K. Murphy. 1999. Influence of prescribed fire history on habitat and abundance of passerine birds in mixed-grass prairie. Canadian Field Naturalist 113:627-640.
• Winter, M., J.A. Shaffer, D.H. Johnson, T.M. Donovan, W.D. Svedarsky, P.W. Jones, and B.R. Euliss. 2005. Habitat and nesting of Le Conte's Sparrows in the northern tallgrass prairie. Journal of Field Ornithology 76:61-71. Winter, M., J.A. Shaffer, D.H. Johnson, T.M. Donovan, W.D. Svedarsky, P.W. Jones, and B.R. Euliss. 2005. Habitat and nesting of Le Conte's Sparrows in the northern tallgrass prairie. Journal of Field Ornithology 76:61-71. (Link)