They're all about stealth and camouflague
Here's a bit about the hidden ways of the sly grasshopper sparrow.
October: The Grasshopper Sparrow
Last month, we took a look at a fast-flying little bird found among the flowers. This month, we’ve got another little bird; this one, however, makes good use of its legs to move stealthily on the ground through prairies and hayfields: the grasshopper sparrow.
The grasshopper sparrow is smaller than many sparrows, about 4.5 inches long with a wingspan of around 8 inches. They have compact bodies and flat heads, disproportionately large bills and short tails. Not much for flying, they spend a lot of time on the ground, running, walking, nesting, and foraging.
Some grasshopper sparrows migrate, while others stay in place. During breeding season, grasshopper sparrows may be found in drier upland, grassy, treeless expanses across much of central and eastern United States and southern Canada. Grasshopper sparrows in the southern States may not migrate at all; birds in the northern States may migrate down to southern States or Mexico and Central America during the winter. Peak migration months tend to be April and October.
Male and female grasshopper sparrows look alike: buffy bodies with brown spotting on the head, back, and wings. They have yellow-orange feathers in front of their eyes and the underpart of their wings near the shoulder (due to the yellow feathers, they have also been called “yellow-winged sparrows”). Male grasshopper sparrows are often more visible during breeding season than at other times because they arrive on the scene first to mark off their nesting territory by singing on low perches, like on a fence post or plant stem, and by performing flight displays.
Grasshopper sparrows don’t form flocks, but they do form monogamous pairs for an entire nesting season before going their separate ways. In breeding season, female grasshopper sparrows will arrive several days after the males have established their territory. Grasshopper sparrows build small dome-like nests in depressions in the ground made of grasses and hairs—sort of like upside-down teacups—about five inches in diameter and three inches high, the tops of which may be just even or slightly above ground-level.
They take extra precautions to protect their nests from their many predators—such as birds of prey, skunks, raccoons, and cats—by avoiding direct flight to and from their nest sites. Instead, they will land or take off at a distance from the nest and walk to it. Their unexciting coloring provides them excellent camouflage for moving along the ground. In fact, unless you hear it, you are not likely to be able to spot it.
Grasshopper sparrows have two to three broods each breeding season and build new nests for each one. Like the ruby-throated hummingbirds we learned about last month, female grasshopper sparrows may build new nests while still caring for the young an existing nest.
Both males and females feed their nestlings. As their name suggests, grasshoppers are the preferred fare of these sparrows, but they will also eat other bugs like spiders, beetles, and caterpillars. In order to eat insects or feed them to their young, grasshopper sparrows will pinch bugs behind their heads and shake off their legs. In the winter, seeds are these sparrows’ main staple.
Grasshopper sparrows have been labelled a “Common Bird in Steep Decline.” The destruction of many grasslands over the years have put them in jeopardy. If you own property with a section of grassland, you can help these little birds by refraining from mowing during their prime breeding season, April through July.
Sources:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Grasshopper_Sparrow/lifehistory#
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/grasshopper-sparrow
https://abcbirds.org/bird/grasshopper-sparrow/
https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Wildlife/Fact-Sheets/Grasshopper-Sparrow
https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/grasshopper-sparrow
https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/grasshopper-sparrow