Lincoln's Sparrow

Bird of the Day Department

Lincoln's Sparrow
Melospiza lincolnii
Order PASSERIFORMES
Family EMBERIZIDAE

Although I first noticed a Lincoln's Sparrow at Tanner's Spring last Friday (5/5/06) it wasn't until yesterday morning that I finally got some decent shots of this beauty.

Known as a skulker, this little guy (no reason to think this a male--this species is monomorphic in plumage) hovered around the fringes of Tanner's Spring giving only tantalizing brief views of himself. Yesterday, under cloudy skies, he finally came down to the water for a bath and I got a nice series of photos. Although wary, he hung around for more than five minutes, bathing, drinking, and occasionally feeding.

Because it breeds in Boreal forests and prefers dense shrubbery I have never gotten a good look at a Lincoln's Sparrow. Its subtle coloration makes it one of my favorite species of sparrows but I also like the fact that it is very elusive and presents a special challenge for photographers.

First encountered by John James Audubon during his 1833 Labrador expedition, this bird was named after his traveling companion, Thomas Lincoln. The Lincoln's Sparrow southernmost wintering ground is southern Costa Rica with most of the population spread through southern Mexico. It usually arrives in our area between April 25th and May 30th on its way to is breeding grounds.

There are several subspecies of Lincoln's Sparrow and the bird seems to be more common in the West and Midwest than on the East Coast. Our eastern Lincoln's Sparrow tends to have more grayish backs than those in the West and Midwest.

There are huge gaps in our knowledge of this species but I have increased my own understanding of the bird by sharing its habit and observing its behavior for several days and finally getting a couple of nice photographs of it.