Where is the grasshopper sparrow found?

The grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) is a small American sparrow that gets its name from its buzzing call that sounds similar to a grasshopper. This sparrow breeds in open grasslands across much of the central and eastern United States and small parts of southern Canada. It winters in the southern half of the United States, Mexico, and parts of Central America. The grasshopper sparrow prefers large open areas with patches of bare ground and short vegetation, making habitat loss and degradation major threats to this species. Understanding where this bird lives and its habitat needs is key for conservation efforts.

Grasshopper Sparrow Range

The grasshopper sparrow has a large breeding range across central and eastern North America. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, this includes:

• In Canada: Southern Manitoba, southern Quebec, southern Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick
• In the United States: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas

Some key areas where grasshopper sparrows are found in the breeding season include the tallgrass prairie regions of the Midwest, oak savannas in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, and coastal plains from Texas to Virginia. The grasslands and pastures of the Flint Hills region in Kansas and Oklahoma have some of the highest densities of breeding grasshopper sparrows.

Wintering Range

In the non-breeding season, grasshopper sparrows migrate to the southern United States, Mexico, and parts of Central America. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, their winter range includes:

• In the United States: California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida
• In Mexico: Along both coasts and the interior through Jalisco, Michoacán, México, Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo
• In Central America: South through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama

Some key wintering areas include the coastal prairies of Texas, the interior grasslands of northern Mexico, and agricultural areas in Central America.

Year-Round Range

Parts of the grasshopper sparrow’s breeding range overlap with its winter range, primarily in the southern United States. According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey, grasshopper sparrows can be found year-round in these states:

• California
• Arizona
• New Mexico
• Texas
• Louisiana
• Mississippi
• Alabama
• Georgia
• South Carolina
• Florida

However, the breeding populations in these states migrate south in the winter while northern breeding populations migrate into these areas for the non-breeding season. So the overall ranges remain distinct between summer and winter.

Distribution Maps

Here are some maps highlighting the range of the grasshopper sparrow:

Breeding Range

Image credit: Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Winter Range

Image credit: Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Year-Round Range

Image credit: Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Habitat

Understanding the habitat needs of the grasshopper sparrow provides further insight into where this species is found. This sparrow prefers large open expanses of grassland with patchy bare ground. Specific habitat types include:

• Native grasslands and prairies
• Pastures and hay fields
• Conservation reserve program (CRP) lands
• Reclaimed surface mines
• Airport grasslands

Ideal habitat has a mix of short grasses, tall grasses, and forbs. Scattered shrubs or trees are tolerated at low densities. Grass height of 12-24 inches and moderate vegetation density are preferred. The sparrow avoids dense, uniformly short grass as well as very tall, dense stands. Patches of bare soil provide needed space for dust bathing. Proximity to wetlands, marshes, or streams provides moist soil habitat for foraging on insects and seeds.

Population Trends

According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey, grasshopper sparrow populations declined by 68% between 1966 and 2015. This ongoing decline is primarily attributed to habitat loss as native grasslands are converted to agriculture or developed for human use. The species is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

Here is a table summarizing the population trend estimates for grasshopper sparrows in different regions:

While still experiencing declines overall, populations have stabilized more in recent decades compared to the precipitous declines of the mid-20th century. Continued habitat conservation and restoration efforts focused on native grasslands and pasturelands will be important for the future of the grasshopper sparrow.

Threats and Conservation Concerns

The major threat to grasshopper sparrows is habitat loss, primarily conversion of grasslands and pastures to cropland or developed land. The use of pesticides and herbicides can also degrade habitat quality. Specific conservation concerns include:

• Native prairie loss: Widespread conversion of tallgrass, mixed grass, and shortgrass prairies to farmland has greatly reduced available breeding habitat.
• Improper grazing and haying practices: Overgrazing, haying during nesting season, and uniformly short vegetation can make habitat unsuitable.
• Reforestation of previously cleared land: Natural forest regeneration and tree planting on abandoned farmland has reduced open grassland habitat in the eastern U.S.
• Loss of CRP grasslands: Expiration of Conservation Reserve Program contracts has caused some restored grasslands to be converted back to cropland.
• Habitat fragmentation: Remaining grasslands are often small, isolated fragments surrounded by cropland or urban development.
• Invasive grasses: Eurasian cool-season grasses can outcompete native warm-season grasses needed by grasshopper sparrows.

To protect remaining populations, conservation recommendations include:

• Protection and restoration of large contiguous grassland habitats
• Sustainable grazing practices that maintain appropriate vegetation density and height
• Financial incentives for private landowners to restore and manage grasslands (e.g. CRP)
• Monitoring populations and habitat use to focus conservation where it is most needed

Conclusion

In summary, grasshopper sparrows can be found across the central and eastern United States, parts of southern Canada, Mexico, and Central America. Their breeding range centers on the Great Plains grasslands while their winter range extends across the southern U.S. and down into Panama. Within their broad geographic range, grasshopper sparrows require large patches of relatively undisturbed grassland habitat with specific vegetation structure. Loss of native prairies and pasturelands has caused widespread population declines. Targeted conservation efforts focused on grassland protection, restoration, and management will be critical for the future of this species.