Tag Archives: LeConte’s Sparrow

LeConte’s Sparrow, The Sparrow With Orange Eyebrows

LeConte's Sparrow

LeConte’s Sparrow (click to see the larger version)

We do well with sparrows at Montrose. To date, 24 species have been recorded there, and of these, 20 are regular. One of the more sought after sparrows is LeConte’s, a rare but regular migrant at Montrose. LeConte’s Sparrow is normally found in grassy type habitats, but during migration they can show up almost anywhere. We’ve seen them on bare ground under trees and even on the concrete fishing pier. Migrant birds can’t always find the right habitat on their journeys and can end up in strange places. The LeConte’s in the photo spent a few hours in a brush tangle near the pond at the Marovitz Golf Course on April 20, 2023.

April is sparrow month in Chicago. While you’re sorting through all the Swamp, White-throated, and White-crowneds, don’t forget about LeConte’s, the sparrow with orange eyebrows (Nelson’s Sparrow also has orange eyebrows, but we don’t see them in April).

Birding and Weather Forecast, April 10 – 14, 2023

Weather forecast screenshot

Weather forecast screenshot. From weather.com (click to see the larger version)

We’re in for an extended period of mild air and south winds starting Monday, April 10 and lasting the rest of the week. Tuesday through Friday look excellent. We should see an influx of typical mid spring migrants, including both kinglets, Eastern Phoebe, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and a variety of sparrows. LeConte’s and Henslow’s Sparrows are a good bet, and mid April is prime time for Smith’s Longspurs. If you have sick days you should think about cashing those chips in, or maybe find yourself conveniently sick a morning or two this week. As always, check the Montrose Point eBird Hotspot for recent sightings.

LeConte’s Sparrow and the Weirdness of Migration

LeConte's Sparrow

LeConte’s Sparrow (click to see the larger version)

Migration is weird. Birds can and do show up in strange places and out of their normal, preferred habitat. You may have your own experience with this, like a Sora or Virginia Rail that showed up in a garage or parking lot. This LeConte’s Sparrow proves the point. LeConte’s are grassland and marsh sparrows, but this one found itself beneath a group of hawthorn trees at Montrose on September 29, 2022.

LeConte’s Sparrow, October 20, 2019

LeConte's Sparrow

LeConte’s Sparrow (click to see the larger version)

October is the month for LeConte’s Sparrows at Montrose. This particular LeConte’s was hanging around an isolated bush in Montrose Dunes. I think we should start calling this bush the Magic Bush for the way it’s been attracting sparrows this fall. Link to my eBird checklist for the day below.

eBird Checklist
October 20, 2019

LeConte’s Sparrow, November 3, 2015

LeConte's Sparrow

LeConte’s Sparrow (click to see the larger version)

I had a latish LeConte’s Sparrow this morning in the grass at the base of the willows at the east end of the beach. I have had LeConte’s in November in Lincoln Park but not very often so this is unusual. There were good numbers of other birds in the dunes, mostly American Robins and Savannah Sparrows but I also had a flyover Snow Bunting and Lapland Longspur. No Short-eared Owl this a.m. I saw nothing else of note in a short walk around the point but I didn’t stay long.

LeConte’s Sparrow and Northern Mockingbird, May 9, 2013

I went over to Montrose this evening to see if any shorebirds were on the beach. I didn’t have anything other than a pair of Spotted Sandpipers but there was a Northern Mockingbird working the willows in the dunes. I also had a LeConte’s Sparrow in the meadow, my first of the year and getting late. As others have reported there were scads of White-crowned Sparrows around. Interestingly, I didn’t see a single warbler of any kind.