The grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum ) is a small New World sparrow. The genus Ammodramus contains nine species that inhabit grasslands and prairies.
The Florida grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum floridanus ) is endangered.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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GranivoreSeed predation, often referred to as granivory, is a type of plant-animal interaction in which granivores (seed predators) feed on the seeds of pla...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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OmnivoreAn omnivore is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and ani...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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Serial monogamySerial monogamy is a mating system in which a pair bonds only for one breeding season.
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SolitaryPa
Partial MigrantPartial migration is when within a migratory species or even within a single population, some individuals migrate while others do not.
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starts withGrasshopper sparrows are small American sparrows that nest and feed mostly on the ground. Adults have upperparts streaked with brown, grey, black and white; they have a light brown breast, a white belly, and a short brown tail. Their face is light brown with an eye-ring and a dark brown crown with a central narrow light stripe.
Grasshopper sparrows breed across southern Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central America, with a small endangered population in the Andes of Colombia and Ecuador. The northern populations migrate to the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Grasshopper sparrows inhabit grasslands, shrubland, open fields, and prairies.
Grasshopper sparrows are secretive diurnal birds that spend much of their time foraging. They are not social and tend to stay hidden among vegetation. These birds walk or run on the ground while feeding and may sometimes hop. When flushed they fly a short distance and then dive back into the grass to escape threats on foot. Grasshopper sparrows communicate with the help of visual displays and vocally. They flutter with their wings, chase each other and use postures to indicate aggression. The song of these birds is a buzzy 'tik tuk zee', resembling the sound made by a grasshopper. Unlike some other members of their family, Grasshopper sparrows will readily sing from open and exposed perches.
Grasshopper sparrows are carnivores (insectivores). They mainly eat insects, especially grasshoppers, and also consume snails, spiders, centipedes, earthworms, and seeds.
Grasshopper sparrows are serially monogamous and pairs stay together only during one breeding season. The breeding season varies with location and males usually arrive on breeding grounds a few days before females. Once pairs are formed the birds start to build their nest. It is a well-concealed open cup located on the ground under vegetation. Pairs generally raise 2-3 broods per breeding season and each time construct a new nest. The female lays 3 to 6 eggs and incubates them 10-13 days alone; the male during this time protects the nest and the territory from intruders. The chicks hatch blind, helpless, and are covered with grayish-brown down. They leave the nest after 9-10 days but are unable to fly; the young walk or run on the ground in dense cover and are fed by both parents for a further 4-19 days. After that, they become fully independent and start to breed in their first year of age.
The main threats to Grasshopper sparrows include habitat loss, destruction of nests due to the mowing of fields, and the use of pesticides by farmers.
According to Partners in Flight resource the total breeding population size of the Grasshopper sparrow is 34,000,000 breeding birds. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.