Song Sparrow Habits

This practice can begin as early as February.

Description

The crown is reddish-brown with a gray central stripe. A short yellow stripe above and in front of the eye. Above parts are a dark olive-gray.

Birds in some areas will vary, with paler subspecies in the Southwest and darker subspecies along the West Coast.

Mating-Courtship Habits

When the female first arrives, the male will dive at her as he does with any other intruder, but the female does not flee.

In time the male will accept this behavior and the two will begin to move about the territory together.

At this stage the male will reduce his singing to only about ten Songs per hour.

Nesting Habits

The FeederWatcher’s Guide to Bird Feeding

Although the male may carry nesting materials, it's the female who builds the nest.

The female lays one egg each day until the clutch of 3 to 5 greenish white with dark marks is complete.

The female does all the incubation of the eggs. Incubation last 12 to 13 days and the young will leave the nest in about 10 days, barely able to fly.

The parents will continue feeding the young for another 20 days. Within a week of this phase, the first egg of the next brood might be laid.

These birds may raise up to 3 broods a year.

Feeding Habits

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