Nelson’s Sparrow

The face, breast, sides, and flank are orangish-buff. The cheek, central crown stripe, and nape of the neck are gray. The chin is light buff. The back is gray with brown stripes. The underparts are finely streaked. The tail is not notched.

5″ to 6″in length

7″ wingspan

The song is a series of three insect-like buzzes: long high – short high – long low; entire call lasting less than two seconds. It has been compared to the sound of steam escaping under pressure.

The call is a single, insect-like, warbling buzz, lasting about a second.

Sedge meadows, wet prairies, grass or sedge marshes with tall shoreline vegetation

Late August to mid-October

Insects, spiders, and other invertebrates in the summer, seeds in the winter.

Rare to uncommon migrant, rare breeder

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map

New World sparrows were traditionally combined with buntings into the family Emberizidae. Recent phylogenetic analysis (Barker et al. 2013) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis (Klicka et al. 2014) found that the Old World buntings should be separated as a sister to New World sparrows. New World sparrows have been separated into a new family, Passerellidae.

This species and Saltmarsh Sparrow were originally thought to be one species, Sharp-tailed Sparrow (Ammodramus caudacutus). In 1998, the species was split. The Saltmarsh Sparrow retained its scientific name and this species became Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow (Ammospiza nelsoni). In 2009 the common name was simplified to Nelson’s Sparrow.

Nelson's Sparrow
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

"Interior" Nelson's Sparrow
JMC Nature Photos

Nelson's Sparrow (Great Bay Blvd WMA/Tuckerton)
Brian Henderson

Nelson's Sparrow
WIld Bird Video Productions

Nelson's Sparrow singing
Mike Burrell

Nelson's Sparrow with song
Brian Mortimer

Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Doug Hitchcox