Henslow's Sparrow

Overview

Henslow's Sparrow: Small sparrow, black-streaked brown upperparts. Breast, sides, and flanks are dark-streaked pale buff; throat and belly are white. Head is olive-brown with dark lines. Weak fluttering flight with tail jerking, alternates rapid wing beats with wings pulled to sides.

Range and Habitat

Henslow's Sparrow: Breeds locally from Minnesota, southern Ontario, and central New York (rarely New England) south to Kansas, Illinois, and North Carolina. Spends winters in Gulf coast states and along Atlantic coast to South Carolina. Inhabits moist or dry grasslands with scattered weeds and small shrubs.

INTERESTING FACTS

Henslow's Sparrow was named by John James Audubon in honor of John Stevens Henslow, a botanist, minister, good friend of Audubon, and teacher of Charles Darwin.
Its population numbers have declined steadily over the past few decades, largely because of habitat loss.
An isolated population that once bred in coastal Texas and was considered by some to represent a unique subspecies has been lost to development.
A group of sparrows has many collective nouns, including a "crew", "flutter", "meinie", "quarrel", and "ubiquity" of sparrows.

The Henslow's Sparrow a large range, breeding in many regions of both the northern and southern United States as well as a small portion of Canada. Native to these two nations, this bird prefers wetland and grassland ecosystems. The global population of this bird is estimated at 79,000 individuals. The population declined steadily over the past few decades, necessitating inclusion on the IUCN Red List, but it is hoped that southern populations will continue rising and lessen the bird's status. The current evaluation status of the Henslow's Sparrow is Near Threatened.