Swamp Sparrow

Swamp Sparrow (adult nonbreeding plumage)

© Joseph Kennedy

Melospiza georgiana

Family: (Emberizidae) New World Sparrows

Preferred Habitat: Marshes and fields

Seasonal Occurrence: Abundant November through mid-April

Notes: Swamp Sparrows are one of the most common sparrows on the Upper Texas Coast, but their cryptic coloring in shades of rufous, gray, and tan can make them difficult to see. Swamp Sparrows prefer wetland habitats. They sometimes stick their heads underwater to catch aquatic invertebrates. The solid chestnut cap of adults acquires a central gray stripe in winter. First winter males have darker faces, and the white throat patch is not as evident.
- Susan Billetdeaux

Swamp Sparrow (first winter plumage)

© David McDonald