General

Cassin's Sparrow: Medium-sized, skulking grassland sparrow with fine brown streaks on gray-brown head and back, and buff underparts. Tail is long, rounded, and white-tipped. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has streaked underparts.

Range and Habitat

Cassin's Sparrow: Breeds from southern Arizona and southwestern Kansas south to southern New Mexico and western and southern Texas; also in Mexico. Spends winters in southern part of breeding range. Preferred habitats include semi-desert or arid uplands supporting yuccas and tall grass.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"pit-pit-pit-pit"

Interesting Facts

 The male Cassin's Sparrow flies straight up in his display flight and then floats downward on fixed wings, singing the entire time. This behavior, distinctive among sparrows, is sometimes called "skylarking."

 Their population numbers vary widely in response to summer rainfall. In some years singing males appear at the edge of their range where none usually breed. What causes these movements is unknown, but hypotheses include east-to-west migration, dispersal of birds that were unsuccessful breeding in another area, and nomadism.

 They have an unusual molt cycle. The juvenile molts twice in the first six months of life whereas the adult has a long body molt lasting several months, then a much quicker complete molt in fall.

 A group of sparrows has many collective nouns, including a "crew", "flutter", "meinie", "quarrel", and "ubiquity" of sparrows.

Author

Gary Owen Dick

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