Our final sparrow is Sweetvoice, the Vesper Sparrow. The name that Burgess gave this bird, Sweetvoice, and even Vesper have labeled this Sparrow perfectly and here’s why:
Vesper Sparrows sing a sweet tinkling song during the day and well into the evening hours—the twilight of vespers, prompting its name… a sweet series of musical slurs and trills.
Allaboutbirds.org
Listen to a part of their song:
Here is what we found through our gathering search on Sweetvoice:
Sweetvoice: Vesper Sparrow
Size & Shape: Vesper Sparrows are fairly large sparrows.
Color Pattern: Brown overall with crisp streaks.
Diet: Insects
Behavior: Spends most of its time on the ground.
Something you didn’t know: The Vesper Sparrow responds quickly to changes in habitat.
I found it very encouraging that Vesper Sparrows are resilient and creative birds, “often the first bird species to occupy reclaimed mine sites and abandon old farm fields as they revert to forest.” (allaboutbirds.org) With so much habitat destruction made by humans, it is a wonder that birds can reclaim what was once lost and make a home in places where reforestation can occur. While these little birds spend most of their time on the ground, they are one of the easier sparrows to identify with their song, the time of day they love to sing (twilight), and the fact that when they sing they like to perch high above the grass to let their song be heard.
Until next time, keep singing with Sweetvoice and birding! <3 Kate
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