Family: Emberizidae, New World Sparrows view all from this family

Description 5 1/4" (13 cm). The combination of bright pink bill, rufous cap, white eye ring, and unstreaked buff breast distinguishes this from other sparrows.

Habitat Abandoned fields and pastures overgrown with weeds, scattered bushes, and small saplings.

Nesting 4 brown-spotted pale green eggs in a woven cup-shaped nest of grass, lined with rootlets or fine grass and set on or near the ground.

Range Breeds from northern North Dakota, central Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and central New England south to Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, central Texas, and western Colorado. Winters south to Gulf of Mexico and northeastern Mexico.

Voice   A series of soft, plaintive notes, all on the same pitch, accelerating to a trill at the end.

Discussion When farms and pastures become overgrown with weeds and bushes, birds such as Field Sparrows and Indigo Buntings move in and nest. Although shyer than its close relative the Chipping Sparrow-and thus more difficult to observe-the Field Sparrow may be studied at leisure when it sings its sweet plaintive song from a conspicuous perch atop a bush or fence post. During fall migration it may be seen among mixed flocks of sparrows.