States
North CarolinaTennesseeGeorgiaSouth CarolinaKentuckyAlabamaArkansasFloridaLouisianaMississippiVirginiaWest Virginia
Menu

Bird

Song Sparrow

Melospiza melodia

Lives in Alabama all year and nests here. Found in all 67 counties, across 15 habitats.

Here
All year
Nesting
Nests here
Range
All 67 counties
Habitats
15

At a glance

Group
Birds
Here
All year
Nesting
Nests here
Range
All 67 counties
Habitats
15
Habitat models
Summer, Winter

Where it lives

The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.

Habitats in Alabama 15

Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 15

Coastal dunes and beaches

White Sand Bluffs, on Santa Rosa Island, Near Pensacola
SummerWinterEast Gulf Coastal Plain Dune and Coastal Grassland; Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain Interdunal WetlandGeorge Catlin, White Sand Bluffs, on Santa Rosa Island, Near Pensacola (1834-35): high white dunes with scattered clumps of dune plants above the Gulf. Shown: Santa Rosa Island near Pensacola, Florida, a neighboring state.White Sand Bluffs, on Santa Rosa Island, Near Pensacola, George Catlin (1796-1872), 1834-1835. Public domain. Source record.

Coastal tidal marshes (salinity not stated)

On the San Sebastian River, Floridalabel QS:Len,"On the San Sebastian River, Florida"
WinterMartin Johnson Heade, On the San Sebastian River (c. 1883-90): a tidal river winding through flat marsh under storm clouds at sunset. Shown: San Sebastian River, St. Augustine, Florida, a neighboring state.On the San Sebastian River, Floridalabel QS:Len,"On the San Sebastian River, Florida", Martin Johnson Heade, c. 1883-1890. Public domain. Source record.

Freshwater marshes

The Great Florida Marsh
SummerWinterSouthern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Nupea Modifier; Central Interior and Appalachian Shrub-Herbaceous Wetland SystemsMartin Johnson Heade, The Great Florida Marsh (1886): open marsh and lily-dotted water beneath live oaks and cabbage palms. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. Shown: Florida (Heade, The Great Florida Marsh, 1886; North Carolina Museum of Art), a neighboring state.The Great Florida Marsh, Martin Johnson Heade, 1886. Public domain. Source record.

Streams, rivers and their banks

Blue Spring, Florida
SummerWinterCentral Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems; South-Central Interior Small Stream and RiparianWinslow Homer, Blue Spring, Florida (1890): clear blue spring water under overhanging palms. Shown: Blue Spring, Florida (Winslow Homer, 1890; National Gallery of Art), a neighboring state.Blue Spring, Florida, Winslow Homer, 1890. Public domain. Source record.

Swamps

Florida, Sunset on the Ocklawaha
SummerWinterSouthern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Taxodium Modifier; Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Bay/Gum Modifier; Southern Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall; East Gulf Coastal Plain Tidal Wooded Swamp; Central Interior and Appalachian Swamp Systems; Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp; Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Cypress Dome; Southern Piedmont/Ridge and Valley Upland Depression SwampFlorida, Sunset on the Ocklawaha (1899): a dark swamp-lined river at sunset, with cypress and hardwoods crowding both banks. Shown: Ocklawaha River, Florida, a neighboring state.Florida, Sunset on the Ocklawaha, Detroit Photographic Co. (chromolithograph), 1899. Public domain. Source record.

Coastal Plain seepage bogs

Open, wet, seepage-fed bogs of the Coastal Plain and Sandhills, often with pitcher plants.

SummerWinterSouthern Coastal Plain Herbaceous Seepage Bog

Disturbed and introduced wetlands

Wet ground taken over by weedy or introduced plants after disturbance, such as common reed, Chinese tallow or tamarisk stands; the upland counterpart is roadsides, fields and disturbed ground.

SummerWinter

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

SummerWinterEast Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Forest Modifier; Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier; Central Interior and Appalachian Floodplain Systems; Central Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems; Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest; South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian; East Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Floodplain Forest; Southern Coastal Plain Blackwater River Floodplain Forest; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain

Forest edges and thickets

Borders of forests, clearings and shrubby thickets.

SummerWinterDisturbed/Successional - Shrub Regeneration; Successional Shrub/Scrub (Other); Harvested Forest - Shrub Regeneration

Maritime forests and thickets

Salt-pruned forests and shrub thickets behind coastal dunes.

WinterEast Gulf Coastal Plain Maritime Forest

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

SummerWinterDeveloped, Open Space; Pasture/Hay; Disturbed/Successional - Grass/Forb Regeneration; Utility Swath - Herbaceous; Ruderal Upland - Old Field

Salt and brackish marshes

Coastal marshes flooded by salty or brackish tides.

WinterMississippi Sound Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh

Seeps and springs

Places where groundwater keeps the soil or rock wet, such as seepage slopes and spring runs.

SummerWinterSouthern Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall

Tree plantations and managed pine

Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.

SummerWinterDeciduous Plantation; Managed Tree Plantation

Wet meadows

Open, wet, grassy or sedgy ground that is not a bog.

SummerWinterCentral Interior and Appalachian Shrub-Herbaceous Wetland Systems
Other habitats in its models (101)

Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Alabama. Those recorded in Alabama first, the rest by region.

Elsewhere in the South (57)
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Maritime Forest Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Freshwater Marsh Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Salt and Brackish Marsh Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Indian River Lagoon Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Large Natural Lakeshore Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Tidal Wooded Swamp Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Dune and Maritime Grassland Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Maritime Forest Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Tidal Wooded Swamp Summer and winter.
  • Central and Upper Texas Coast Dune and Coastal Grassland Winter.
  • Central Florida Herbaceous Pondshore Summer and winter.
  • Central Florida Herbaceous Seep Winter.
  • Central Florida Pine Flatwoods Winter.
  • East-Central Texas Plains Pine Forest and Woodland Winter.
  • East-Central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland Winter.
  • East-Central Texas Plains Riparian Forest Winter.
  • Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland Winter.
  • Florida Big Bend Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Winter.
  • Florida Big Bend Salt-Brackish Tidal Marsh Winter.
  • Floridian Highlands Freshwater Marsh Winter.
  • Mississippi Delta Maritime Forest Winter.
  • Mississippi River Bottomland Depression Winter.
  • Mississippi River Low Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest Winter.
  • Mississippi River Riparian Forest Winter.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Riparian Winter.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest and Woodland Winter.
  • Red River Large Floodplain Forest Winter.
  • South Florida Bayhead Swamp Winter.
  • South Florida Cypress Dome Winter.
  • South Florida Dwarf Cypress Savanna Winter.
  • South Florida Everglades Sawgrass Marsh Winter.
  • South Florida Freshwater Slough and Gator Hole Winter.
  • South Florida Mangrove Swamp Winter.
  • South Florida Wet Marl Prairie Winter.
  • Southeast Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Summer and winter.
  • Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie Summer and winter.
  • Southern and Central Appalachian Bog and Fen Winter.
  • Southern Appalachian Montane Pine Forest and Woodland Winter.
  • Southern Blackland Tallgrass Prairie Summer and winter.
  • Southwest Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Winter.
  • Southwest Florida Dune and Coastal Grassland Winter.
  • Southwestern Great Plains Canyon Summer and winter.
  • Tamaulipan Calcareous Thornscrub Winter.
  • Tamaulipan Mixed Deciduous Thornscrub Winter.
  • Texas Saline Coastal Prairie Winter.
  • Texas-Louisiana Coastal Prairie Winter.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest Winter.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Large River Swamp Winter.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall Winter.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest Winter.
  • Western Great Plains Mesquite Woodland and Shrubland Winter.
Northeast (4)
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Fresh and Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Tidal Salt Marsh Summer and winter.
  • Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest Summer.
  • Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dune and Swale Summer and winter.
Midwest (4)
  • Central Mixedgrass Prairie Summer and winter.
  • Central Tallgrass Prairie Summer and winter.
  • North-Central Interior Sand and Gravel Tallgrass Prairie Summer and winter.
  • Western Great Plains Wooded Draw and Ravine Summer and winter.
West (1)
  • Inter-Mountain Basins Greasewood Flat Summer and winter.
Land cover and other classes (35)
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Forested Wetland Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Herbaceous Wetland Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Depression Pondshore Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Oak Dominated Modifier Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Taxodium/Nyssa Modifier Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Streamhead Seepage Swamp - Pocosin - and Baygall Summer and winter.
  • Central Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
  • Developed, Low Intensity Summer and winter.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Herbaceous Modifier Winter.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Depression Pondshore Winter.
  • Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer and winter.
  • Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow, Prairie, and Marsh Summer and winter.
  • Harvested Forest - Grass/Forb Regeneration Summer and winter.
  • Introduced Upland Vegetation - Annual Grassland Summer and winter.
  • Introduced Upland Vegetation - Forbland Summer and winter.
  • Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland Summer and winter.
  • Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland and Forbland Summer and winter.
  • Introduced Upland Vegetation - Shrub Summer and winter.
  • Lower Mississippi River Bottomland Depressions - Forest Modifier Winter.
  • Mississippi River Floodplain and Riparian Forest Winter.
  • Modified/Managed Southern Tall Grassland Summer and winter.
  • Recently Burned Summer and winter.
  • Recently Burned Forest Summer and winter.
  • Recently Burned Grassland Summer and winter.
  • Recently Burned Shrubland Summer and winter.
  • Recently Logged Areas Summer and winter.
  • South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Herbaceous Modifier Summer and winter.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Clethra Modifier Winter.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
  • Tamaulipan Mesquite Upland Scrub Winter.
  • Tamaulipan Riparian Systems Winter.
  • Texas-Louisiana Coastal Prairie Slough Winter.
  • Western Great Plains Depressional Wetland Systems Summer and winter.
  • Western Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer and winter.

All habitats

Seasons in Alabama

  • Year-round: nests here, in 27 of 67 counties.
  • Winter: does not nest here, in 52 of 67 counties.

Food plants

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Plants matched by genus.

Native plants in these genera 239

Plant genera in its diet records (36)
  • Avena Seeds. 2 diet records. 0 native plants in Alabama
  • Polygonum Seeds. 2 diet records. 4 native plants in Alabama
  • Triticum Seeds. 2 diet records. 0 native plants in Alabama
  • Amaranthus Seeds. 1 diet record. 2 native plants in Alabama
  • Ambrosia Seeds. 1 diet record. 4 native plants in Alabama
  • Anthemis Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Alabama
  • Brassica Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Alabama
  • Calandrinia Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Alabama
  • Carex Seeds. 1 diet record. 140 native plants in Alabama
  • Centaurea Seeds. 1 diet record. 1 native plant in Alabama
  • Chenopodium Seeds. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in Alabama
  • Claytonia Seeds. 1 diet record. 2 native plants in Alabama
  • Croton Seeds. 1 diet record. 10 native plants in Alabama
  • Deinandra Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Alabama
  • Digitaria Seeds. 1 diet record. 5 native plants in Alabama
  • Erodium Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Alabama
  • Ficus Fruit. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Alabama
  • Geranium Seeds. 1 diet record. 2 native plants in Alabama
  • Helianthus Seeds. 1 diet record. 23 native plants in Alabama
  • Lamium Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Alabama
  • Madia Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Alabama
  • Phalaris Seeds. 1 diet record. 1 native plant in Alabama
  • Phleum Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Alabama
  • Physocarpus Seeds. 1 diet record. 1 native plant in Alabama
  • Prunus Seeds. 1 diet record. 8 native plants in Alabama
  • Rubus Fruit. 1 diet record. 7 native plants in Alabama
  • Rumex Seeds. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in Alabama
  • Sambucus Fruit. 1 diet record. 1 native plant in Alabama
  • Setaria Seeds. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in Alabama
  • Silene Seeds. 1 diet record. 8 native plants in Alabama
  • Solanum Seeds. 1 diet record. 6 native plants in Alabama
  • Sonchus Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Alabama
  • Spergula Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Alabama
  • Stellaria Seeds. 1 diet record. 2 native plants in Alabama
  • Toxicodendron Seeds. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in Alabama
  • Tragopogon Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Alabama

Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

Also found in its main habitats

Its main habitats in Alabama, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Birds 88

Plants 418

All of floodplain and bottomland forests in Alabama

Swamps

Birds 86

Plants 327

All of swamps in Alabama

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Birds 103

Plants 1485

All of roadsides, fields and disturbed ground in Alabama

USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models.

Sources