Photo: Rhododendrites / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Melospiza lincolnii
Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) is a member of the Passerellidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 16.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Passerellidae New World Sparrows
- Genus Melospiza
- Species lincolnii
Quick facts
- Weight
- 16.6 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Passerellidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Lincoln’s Sparrow is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of wetlands, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Lincoln’s Sparrow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) belongs to the Passerellidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across North America. Its distribution covers NA w, n.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 16.6 g, with a wing length of about 6.4 cm and a tail of around 5.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 7.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Lincoln’s Sparrow?
The Lincoln’s Sparrow is a small bird that weighs around 16.6 g.
Where does the Lincoln’s Sparrow live?
The Lincoln’s Sparrow is found across North America with a range covering NA w, n, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Lincoln’s Sparrow belong to?
The Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) belongs to the Passerellidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Lincoln’s Sparrow eat?
The Lincoln’s Sparrow is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Lincoln’s Sparrow migrate?
The Lincoln’s Sparrow is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Lincoln’s Sparrow endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Lincoln’s Sparrow make?
1 real field recording of the Lincoln’s Sparrow — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Lincoln’s Sparrow's range?
The Lincoln’s Sparrow has a mapped global range of about 7.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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