Song sparrow

The song sparrow is a bird that sings its heart out. It is among the first of the migrants to return in spring, and the male proclaims his territory from a low perch with a bright series of notes that always starts with a few clear repeated ones. Each male has a repertoire of several song types.

It is a streaky brown sparrow, with a central dark spot on the chest that often shows in photographs. Song sparrows are found in brushy edges, wet thickets, and marsh margins across Manitoba, and the nest is a tidy cup often hidden near the ground. In the fall, most migrate to the southern United States, while a few remain in the south of the province.

Here is one of my favourite frames of this bird.

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