Species: Melospiza georgiana
Swamp Sparrow
Species
Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class
Aves
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Emberizidae
Genus
Melospiza
NatureServe
Classification
Other Global Common Names
Gorrión Pantanero - bruant des marais
Informal Taxonomy
Animals, Vertebrates - Birds - Perching Birds
Formal Taxonomy
Animalia - Craniata - Aves - Passeriformes - Emberizidae - Melospiza - Inland and coastal populations along mid-Atlantic coast show marked morphological and life history differences; M. G. NIGRESCENS regarded as a well-marked subspecies by Greenberg and Droege (1990). Greenberg et al. (1998) examined mitochondrial DNA differentiation between NIGRESCENS, GEORGIANA, and EPICRYPTA and found low levels of genetic variation and no evidence of geographic structure.
Ecology and Life History
Migration
false - false - true - Arrives in nesting areas in Canada and northern U.S. usually in March-April (Terres 1980); subspecies NIGRESCENS arrives in coastal mid-Atlantic breeding areas in mid-May, apparently departs by September-October (Greenberg and Droege 1990).
Non-migrant
false
Locally Migrant
false
Food Comments
Eats insects and seeds; often forages in shallow water (Terres 1980).
Reproduction Comments
Clutch size 2-6 (usually 4-5 in most areas). Usually 2 broods per year. Incubation 12-15 days, by female. Young leave nest at 9-13 days.
Length
15
Weight
17
Conservation Status
NatureServe Global Status Rank
G5
Global Status Last Reviewed
1996-12-04
Global Status Last Changed
1996-12-04
Other Status
LC - Least concern
Distribution
Conservation Status Map
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Global Range
BREEDING: Mackenzie to northern Saskatchewan and Labrador, south to British Columbia, central Saskatchewan, Dakotas, eastern Nebraska, central Ohio, and Delaware. NON-BREEDING: eastern Nebraska, Iowa, Great Lakes region, and southern New England south to southeastern Arizona, southern Texas, Gulf Coast, southern Florida.