Savannah Sparrow
Learn to identify the Savannah Sparrow by ear. Master the "tsi-tsi-tsssip" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.
What the Savannah Sparrow sounds like
A short series of three thin introductory notes followed by a buzzy, insect-like trill that lasts less than two seconds.
How to tell it apart
Lessons featuring the Savannah Sparrow
Ready to test your ear? Practice identifying the Savannah Sparrow's sounds in these interactive in-app lessons.
Where you'll hear it
Breeds across most of Canada, Alaska, and the northern and western United States; winters from the southern U.S. through Mexico, the Caribbean, and into northern Central America. Some coastal and Californian populations remain year-round.
Open, grassy habitats including coastal salt-marshes, hayfields, pastureland, dune grass, alpine and Arctic tundra, airport margins, and grassy roadsides.
Breeding: May–August; southbound migration August–October; wintering October–March; northbound migration March–May.
How to recognize it by sight
A small, short‐tailed sparrow with crisp brown streaks over a white chest and a distinctive yellow wash in front of the eye. While superficially plain, the Savannah Sparrow shows neat, fine streaking, a shallow notched tail, and a generally compact, flat‐headed profile that separates it from bulkier Song Sparrows.