Song Sparrow
(Melospiza melodia)

Overview

Summary

© Dan Busby
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The Song Sparrow is a widespread and familiar species in Canada, with a range that extends from the west coast to Newfoundland and Labrador. With at least 24 distinguishable subspecies, the Song Sparrow is one of the most polytypic species in North America (Arcese et al. 2002). Results from the Breeding Bird Survey indicate that populations have decreased moderately since about 1970; much of this decline occurred in the 1970s. 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

• BirdLife International / NatureServe
• 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

Local Song Sparrow populations are known to have been greatly reduced as a result of certain land management practices (e.g., grazing or other agricultural practices that reduce suitable habitat; Arcese et al. 2002). Logging and irrigation likely benefit the species by increasing availability of suitable habitat (Arcese et al. 2002).

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

• Arcese, P., M. Sogge, A.B. Marr and M.A. Patten. 2002. Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Arcese, P., M. Sogge, A.B. Marr and M.A. Patten. 2002. Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. (Link)