Watercolor portrait of LeConte's Sparrow (Ammospiza leconteii)

LeConte's Sparrow

Ammospiza leconteii
Uncommon Thin buzzy song

Learn to identify the LeConte's Sparrow by ear. Master the "tss-ip tss-ip tssss" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.

“tss-ip tss-ip tssss”

What the LeConte's Sparrow sounds like

LeConte's Sparrow is a tiny, secretive grassland sparrow with a warm orange face, a pale buff chest, and a back striped like dry prairie grass. Most of the time it stays hidden low in the stems, then pops up for a moment and melts away again.

“tss-ip tss-ip tssss”

How to tell it apart

Listen for:A faint, insectlike buzz mixed with thin chips, often delivered from a low stalk. It can sound so wiry and weak that it seems to drift in and out of the grass. Often written as “tss-ip tss-ip tssss”.
Don't confuse with:The Nelson's Sparrow — usually has a stronger gray wash on the nape and chest.

Where you'll hear it

LeConte's Sparrow breeds in the northern Great Plains, upper Midwest, and across southern Canada. It winters mainly along the Gulf Coast and in the southeastern United States, often in dense grassy fields and marshy cover.

Look for it in damp prairies, sedge meadows, grassy marsh edges, and weedy fields with thick ground cover. It likes places where last year’s dead grasses still form a tangled, protective blanket.

Spring migrants are easiest to find when males give their thin, insectlike songs from low perches. In fall and winter, it becomes even more secretive, usually detected only when it flushes from underfoot and drops right back into cover.

Similar species

Nelson's Sparrow

Usually has a stronger gray wash on the nape and chest.

Henslow's Sparrow

Has an olive-green face, not a bright buffy-orange one.

Grasshopper Sparrow

Has a flatter head and a less richly orange face.

LeConte's Sparrow song FAQ

What does a LeConte's Sparrow sound like?
A faint, insectlike buzz mixed with thin chips, often delivered from a low stalk. It can sound so wiry and weak that it seems to drift in and out of the grass. Listen for the "tss-ip tss-ip tssss" phrase.
How do I tell a LeConte's Sparrow from a Nelson's Sparrow by sound?
Nelson's Sparrow: Usually has a stronger gray wash on the nape and chest.; Face can look orange too, but Nelson's often seems bulkier and more boldly patterned.; Favors saltmarshes and coastal marshes in winter more often than LeConte's..
When is the best time to hear a LeConte's Sparrow?
Spring migrants are easiest to find when males give their thin, insectlike songs from low perches. In fall and winter, it becomes even more secretive, usually detected only when it flushes from underfoot and drops right back into cover.