Two subspecies of the Brewer's Sparrow breed in Canada, one in the sagebrush grasslands of southern British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, and the other in the subalpine shrublands of the Rocky Mountains, northern British Columbia, and southern Yukon. Breeding Bird Survey results, mainly reflecting the sagebrush subspecies, suggest little overall change in the population in Canada relative to the early 1970s. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
The sagebrush subspecies of the Brewer's Sparrow has suffered considerable habitat loss and degradation throughout its range in North America (Rotenberry et al. 1999). In Canada, much of its sagebrush habitat has been lost due to on-going vineyard, orchard, and urban development in the Okanagan region of British Columbia, the region with the highest population density in Canada (Lea 2008). Elsewhere, habitat loss has been attributed primarily to changes in agricultural and linear development (e.g., roads, trails, power-lines, pipelines) associated with industrial activity that fragments the landscape and introduces noise, predators, and invasive, non-native plants that are detrimental to bird populations (Rotenberry 1998, Rotenberry et al. 1999, Ingelfinger and Anderson 2004). Most conservation recommendations involve the prevention of further loss of sagebrush habitats and restoration of remaining habitat. One of the main habitat restoration issues is the control of cheatgrass, an invasive annual species (Rotenberry et al. 1999). The timberline subspecies is not well known.
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:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.
