An inconspicuous bird, Lincoln’s Sparrows spend most of their time close to the ground shrouded by dense vegetation. They prefer to be hidden, which can make them more difficult to spot. You can find Lincoln’s Sparrows in overgrown fields, brushy thickets, and marshy bogs.

Lincoln’s Sparrows are gray and buffy with dark brown streaks. Their sides are brown, and their undersides are white. Their faces are gray–particularly above the eyes. They have buffy eyerings and buffy lines running from their beaks to the back of their faces. They have a dark brown line running from the backs of their eyes to the backs of their faces. You’ll often spot them with their crown feathers ruffled.

Lincoln’s Sparrows are one of the most common fall captures at our Creamer’s Field Migration Station. In August, shortly after their breeding season, they can be found in high numbers moving through the seasonally-flooded wetlands at the banding station, and many of the individuals we catch early in the fall are recently-fledged juveniles. Since 1992, we have banded over 10,000 Lincoln’s Sparrows.