Brewers Sparrow

Brewer's sparrows are unassuming residents of the sagebrush steppe.

USFWS Photo / Tom Koerner

Spizella breweri

Description

• Very small sparrow
• Drab grey-brown, with streaks on its back
• Has a very complex and musical song

Habitat

The Brewer's sparrow ranges widely, but its preferred nesting grounds are sagebrush steppe ecosystems, found at Craters of the Moon and throughout the Intermountain West. Sagebrush provides cover, song perches, and nest sites. The species prefers dense stands of sagebrush, along with native grasses that provide an abundance of food.

Behavior

• The Brewer's sparrow usually forages on the ground or in low vegetation.
• Its diet is mainly comprised of seeds and insects, and it gets most of the water it needs from its food.
• Males use their distinctive and complex song to attract mates and defend nesting territory.
• Nests are usually well-concealed, located toward the bottom of a sagebrush shrub.
• Both parents help to raise offspring.

Conservation

Each year, the National Park Service (NPS) monitors Brewer’s sparrow through breeding bird surveys. The Brewer’s sparrow is the most common bird that is seen throughout this survey. The NPS also aids in conservation efforts of this species as it monitors the health of sagebrush steppe habitat from many threats, such as invasive species.