Bachman's Sparrow

A sweet, clear series of whistles that often ends in a soft trill or buzzy flourish. It carries beautifully through open pinewoods at dawn.

Found in the southeastern United States. Many birds stay year-round in the Deep South, while birds near the northern edge may move short distances in winter.

Look in open pine savannas, especially longleaf pine with a grassy understory. It also uses brushy clearcuts, old fields, and recently burned pinewoods.

Spring is the magic window. Males sing most at dawn from low pines, shrubs, or wires; by fall and winter they are much quieter and easier to miss.

A shy, warm-brown sparrow of southeastern pinewoods with one of the loveliest songs in the South. Most of the time it stays hidden in grass and low shrubs, then suddenly climbs up to sing a clear, sweet whistle.