Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Vesper Sparrow

Pooecetes gramineus (Gmelin, JF, 1789)

14–16 cmLength26 gWeight

The vesper sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) is a medium-sized New World sparrow.

Busiest months: April and October · Most records: United States, Canada, Mexico

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: April and October · Most records: United States, Canada, Mexico

Vesper Sparrow has been recorded at 655 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 7 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Canoa Ranch Conservation ParkUnited States3,434 records
  2. Willcox – Lake Cochise and Twin Lakes Golf CourseUnited States2,716 records
  3. Whitewater Draw Wildlife AreaUnited States2,534 records
More places
  1. Sierra Vista EOPUnited States2,319 records
  2. Hornsby BendUnited States1,991 records
  3. Mitchell Lake Audubon CenterUnited States1,933 records
  4. Commons Ford Ranch Metro ParkUnited States1,747 records
  5. Southeast Farallon IslandUnited States1,686 records
  6. Lagerman Agricultural Preserve – Lagerman ReservoirUnited States1,660 records
  7. Kachina WetlandsUnited States1,465 records

Countries and regions with the most records

United StatesCanadaMexicoBermudaBelizeGuatemalaBahamas

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The vesper sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) is a medium-sized New World sparrow. The only member of the genus Pooecetes, it is a pale sparrow with brown streaks that breeds across the grasslands of northern North America. It migrates to winter in the southern United States and Mexico.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Vesper Sparrow?

The Vesper Sparrow is about 14–16 cm long and weighs around 26 g.

Where does the Vesper Sparrow live?

Its breeding range: North America: western, northern. It is most often recorded in United States, Canada and Mexico.

When is the best time to see the Vesper Sparrow?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in April and October (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Vesper Sparrow endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Vesper Sparrow as Least Concern.

What does the Vesper Sparrow eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Vesper Sparrow in?

It belongs to the family New World Sparrows (Passerellidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
14–16 cm
Weight
26 g
Habitat
Grassland
Diet
Omnivore
Lifestyle
Varied
Migration
Migratory
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
79 mm
Tail
60 mm
Bill
12 mm
Tarsus
20 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

North America: western, northern

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
New World Sparrows Passerellidae
Genus
Pooecetes

More from the family New World Sparrows

Vesper Sparrow

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Greg Lasley. ↗

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