Dapper Sparrow Keeps a Low Profile

Lincoln’s sparrow, Sept 2023 (photo by Steve Gosser) 11 May 2026 Compared to the brightly colored warblers passing through this week, a Lincoln’s sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) doesn’t attract a lot of attention but I’d dearly love to see one. I know they’re here because there were six reports scattered across Allegheny County yesterday including one bird at Schenley Park and three at Homewood Cemetery. Even when they’re present they are hard to find and that’s part of their allure. [Lincoln’s sparrow] often stays hidden under thick ground cover, but can be distinguished by its sweet, wrenlike song. … It lives in well-covered brushy habitats, often near water. This bird is poorly documented because of its secretive nature and breeding habits solely in boreal regions. — Wikipedia: Lincoln’s sparrow These dapper little birds are closely related to song and swamp sparrows. Lincoln’s sparrows have pink legs and wear buffy vests with thin brown stripes. Buffy + Thin Stripes are their…