Le Conte's Sparrow

Taxobox
name = Le Conte's Sparrow
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1

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regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Passeriformes
familia = Emberizidae
genus = "Ammodramus"
species = "A. leconteii"
binomial = "Ammodramus leconteii"
binomial_authority = (Audubon, 1844)The Le Conte's Sparrow, "Ammodramus leconteii", is a small sparrow.

Adults have streaked dark and light brown upperparts with a light brown breast and white belly with fine streaks on the side. They have a large flat head with a light crown stripe on a dark crown, an orange face with a grey cheek patch. The large bill is dark and they have a short tail.

Their breeding habitat is moist grassland across central Canada to Quebec and central northern United States. The nest is an open cup attached to dead grass, sometimes on the ground.

These birds migrate to the southeastern United States.

They forage on the ground usually in dense grass, mainly eating insects and seeds.

The male sings from a concealed location. The song is a sharp "tik" followed by a hiss similar to the song of Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow.

John James Audubon named this bird after a friend, Doctor Le Conte. It is generally believed that he meant John Lawrence Le Conte, although some feel that he was referring to another John Le Conte, also a doctor, and John Lawrence's cousin.

References

* Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

External links

* [http://www.sdakotabirds.com/species/lecontes_sparrow_info.htm Le Conte's Sparrow Information and Photos] - South Dakota Birds and Birding
* [http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Le_Contes_Sparrow.html Le Conte's Sparrow Species Account] - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
* [http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i5480id.html Le Conte's Sparrow - "Ammodramus leconteii"] - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter

Further reading

Book

* Lowther, P. E.. (2005). "Le Conte’s Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii). The Birds of North America Online". (A. Poole, Ed.) Ithaca: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; Retrieved from The Birds of North American Online database.

Thesis

* Doster RH. Ph.D. (2005). "Ecology and conservation of wintering migratory birds in early-successional habitats of the lower Mississippi River alluvial valley". University of Arkansas, United States -- Arkansas.

* Reynolds MC. M.S. (1997). "Effects of burning on birds in mesquite-grassland". The University of Arizona, United States -- Arizona.

Articles

* Anderson KS. (1975). "1st Massachusetts Specimen of Le-Contes Sparrow". Auk. vol 92, no 1.

* Dale BC, Martin PA & Taylor PS. (1997). "Effects of hay management on grassland songbirds in Saskatchewan". Wildlife Society Bulletin. vol 25, no 3. p. 616-626.

* Dove CJ, Schmidt B, Gebhard C & Leboeuf E. (2001). "Late record of Le Conte's Sparrow in Florida". Florida Field Naturalist. vol 29, no 3.

* Hanowski JM, Christian DP & Nelson MC. (1999). "Response of breeding birds to shearing and burning in wetland brush ecosystems". Wetlands. vol 19, no 3. p. 584-593.

* Harris B. (1973). "Deuel County Notes Specimen Records for Barred Owl and Le-Contes Sparrow". South Dakota Bird Notes. vol 26, no 2.

* Igl LD & Johnson DH. (1995). "Dramatic increase of Le Conte's sparrow in conversion reserve program fields in the Northern Great Plains". Prairie Naturalist. vol 27, no 2. p. 89-94.

* Johnson DH & Igl LD. (2001). "Area requirements of grassland birds: A regional perspective". Auk. vol 118, no 1. p. 24-34.

* Maxwell TC, Madden DE & Dawkins RC. (1988). "Status of Le Conte's Sparrow Ammodramus-Leconteii Emberizidae Wintering in Western Texas USA". Southwestern Naturalist. vol 33, no 3. p. 373-375.

* Reynolds MC & Krausman PR. (1998). "Effects of winter burning on birds in mesquite grassland". Wildlife Society Bulletin. vol 26, no 4. p. 867-876.

* Richter CH. (1969). "The Le Contes Sparrow in Northeastern Wisconsin". Passenger Pigeon. vol 31, no 3. p. 275-277.

* Robbins S. (1969). "New Light on the Le Contes Sparrow". Passenger Pigeon. vol 31, no 3. p. 267-274.

* Roberts JP & Schnell GD. (2006). "Comparison of survey methods for wintering grassland birds". Journal of Field Ornithology. vol 77, no 1. p. 46-60.

* Villard MA & Bracken RA. (1989). "1ST CONFIRMED BREEDING RECORD OF LECONTES SPARROW, AMMODRAMUS-LECONTEII, IN EASTERN ONTARIO". Canadian Field-Naturalist. vol 103, no 1. p. 89-90.

* Villard MA & Bracken RA. (1989). "First Confirmed Breeding Record of Le Conte's Sparrow Ammodramus-Leconteii in Eastern Ontario Canada". Canadian Field Naturalist. vol 103, no 1. p. 89-90.

* Winter M, Shaffer JA, Johnson DH, Donovan TM, Svedarsky WD, Jones PW & Euliss BR. (2005). "Habitat and nesting of Le Conte's Sparrows in the northern tallgrass prairie". Journal of Field Ornithology. vol 76, no 1. p. 61-71.