# Lincoln's Sparrow

*Melospiza lincolnii*

John James Audubon named the bird after his companion Thomas Lincoln, who collected the first cataloged specimen in Labrador in 1833.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Passerellidae › Melospiza
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** wetland
- **Habitat:** Boreal bogs, wet meadows, fens, shrubby riparian thickets, and weedy brush during migration and winter.
- **Diet:** Insects such as beetles, caterpillars, and ants during breeding season; small grass and weed seeds during winter.
- **Range:** Canada, United States, Mexico, Central America
- **Size:** 13–15 cm length, 18–20 cm wingspan, 17–20 g
- **Lifespan:** 2–7 yr
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Wetland drainage, livestock grazing in montane riparian zones, climate-driven drying of peatlands, and window collisions during nocturnal migration.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless to humans. This bird is naturally secretive and hides in dense brush or sedges when approached. Maintain a safe distance of several meters to avoid disrupting feeding or nesting behavior. No medical risk exists from contact.

## About

Lincoln's sparrow ( Melospiza lincolnii ) is a medium-sized sparrow.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/90187924-81cb-44ee-8bfa-b67bb29af3c9
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/9092
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melospiza lincolnii
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/471031045/medium.jpg (Dan Vickers, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.