Savannah sparrow

Savannah sparrow photographed in Manitoba

The prairie in June is full of the high, insect-like song of the savannah sparrow, delivered from a fence post or a clump of grass. It is a streaky brown sparrow with a small yellow patch in front of each eye, and a short, notched tail.

Savannah sparrows nest on the ground in open fields and meadows, hiding a grass-lined cup in a tuft of vegetation. They are common across Manitoba, from the southern grasslands to the northern tundra, and they eat insects and seeds. In fall, they migrate to the southern United States and Mexico, and the flocks move quietly through the fields.

I like the touch of yellow in front of the eye on a savannah sparrow, a small detail on a bird of the open grass.

To learn more about this bird and its habitat, visit the savannah sparrow page at All About Birds.

Savannah sparrow Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the savannah sparrow in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the savannah sparrow nests and migrates, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the savannah sparrow in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Shield, the Taiga Shield, the Hudson Plains, the Southern Arctic, and the Prairies (gold) and passing through the Boreal Plains in spring and fall (lilac). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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