What does the Song Sparrow song sound like?

Melospiza melodia

Song Common

Play the real Song Sparrow song, the "Madge-Madge-Madge, put-on-your-tea-kettle-ettle-ettle", and learn what to listen for.

“Madge-Madge-Madge, put-on-your-tea-kettle-ettle-ettle”

What the Song Sparrow song sounds like

A varied series of 3–4 short clear notes followed by a buzz or trill. This is often rendered as "Maids, maids, maids, put on your tea-kettle-ettle-ettle," a melodious and emphatic tune. Males sing tirelessly in spring and summer to defend territories.

“Madge-Madge-Madge, put-on-your-tea-kettle-ettle-ettle”

How to find the bird singing it

Extremely versatile – found in open woodlands, brushy fields, marsh edges, hedgerows, and suburbs. They favor areas with dense, low cover (brush, grasses) near open ground or water.

Streaked Breast & Spot: Thick brown streaks on white breast converge into a prominent dark central spot on the chest.
Face Pattern: Gray face with rich reddish-brown crown and eye-line, and a thick reddish-brown malar stripe bordering a white throat.
Long Tail: Relatively long, rounded tail often pumped up and down in flight or when perched. The tail is reddish-brown and shows fine streaking.

When you'll hear it

Summer

Breeding season in full swing. Adults may raise two or more broods if conditions allow. They forage for insects to feed nestlings and may become secretive while molting later in summer.

Winter

In milder regions, residents forage in brush and often visit feeders. In colder areas, migrants from farther north join locals. They often form mixed-species flocks with juncos and other sparrows, giving sharp "chip" calls from tangles.

Migration

Many Song Sparrows molt into fresh plumage. Northern birds migrate south starting in late fall. Others gather in loose flocks in weedy fields, spending more time feeding on seeds.

Year-round

Males perch on low shrubs or tree branches and sing vigorously to defend territory. Pairs form and begin nesting by late spring. Migrants return from the south as days lengthen.

Don’t confuse it with

Birds whose song gets mistaken for this one. Play them back to back.

Savannah Sparrow

Smaller with a shorter tail and overall more slender.

Song Sparrow song FAQ

What does a Song Sparrow song sound like?

How do I tell a Song Sparrow from a Savannah Sparrow by ear?

Savannah Sparrow: Smaller with a shorter tail and overall more slender.; Has crisp fine streaks and usually a yellow spot in front of the eye (yellow lore), which Song Sparrow lacks..

When is the best time to hear the Song Sparrow song?

In spring, males arrive early and sing persistently to establish territories and attract mates. During summer they breed, often raising multiple broods of chicks. In fall, northern Song Sparrows migrate south and others form loose flocks, molting into fresh plumage and foraging on seeds. In winter, they frequent brush piles and feeders in small flocks, maintaining a presence in much of the U.S. while migrants from the far north join resident birds.

More Song Sparrow sounds

Song Sparrow: the full species pageEvery sound we have, field marks, habitat and similar species.How to Learn Bird Songs by Ear: A Gentle Two-Week MethodLearning bird songs by ear sounds intimidating until you realize you already know a few — that robin in your yard, the chickadee at the feeder. Here is the gentle on-ramp: seven birds to learn first, a memory trick that works even if you cannot carry a tune, and a ten-minute-a-day rhythm that turns spring noise into named neighbors.How to Learn Bird Calls Fast: A 7-Day Spring PlanYou have seven days. You want seven birds. This is the plan: one new song per day, a mnemonic per bird, ten minutes you steal from your coffee break. Sunday-to-Sunday, you walk outside and a name lands in your head before you have time to think about it.The Dawn Chorus: Which Birds Sing First Each Morning (And Why)Every morning, as the first light touches the sky, birds like the American Robin and Northern Cardinal begin their symphony. But why do they choose dawn for their most vigorous singing?