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Bird

Song Sparrow

Melospiza melodia

Lives in North Carolina all year and nests here. Found in all 100 counties, across 21 habitats.

Here
All year
Nesting
Nests here
Range
All 100 counties
Habitats
21

At a glance

Group
Birds
Here
All year
Nesting
Nests here
Range
All 100 counties
Habitats
21
Habitat models
Summer, Winter

Where it lives

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

Habitats in North Carolina 21

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

1 of 21

Floodplain and bottomland forests

fallen (uprooted) tree
SummerWinterAtlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream 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; Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest; Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest; Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest; South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian; South-Central Interior Large FloodplainNamed place / source context. Shown: Congaree Swamp National Monument floodplain forest, South Carolina; representative illustration, no exact viewpoint, a neighboring state.fallen (uprooted) tree, John Dawson, by1988. Public domain. Source record.

Freshwater marshes

Georgia pond and emergent wetland
SummerWinterCentral Interior and Appalachian Shrub-Herbaceous Wetland SystemsRegional / representative. Shown: Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Georgia; representative pond ecosystem, a neighboring state.Georgia pond and emergent wetland, Robert 'Bob' Hynes, 1997. Public domain. Source record.

Ponds, lakes and their shores

Georgia pond and emergent wetland
SummerWinterAtlantic Coastal Plain Large Natural LakeshoreRegional / representative. Shown: Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Georgia; representative pond ecosystem, a neighboring state.Georgia pond and emergent wetland, Robert 'Bob' Hynes, 1997. Public domain. Source record.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Black Mountainlabel QS:Len,"Black Mountain"
SummerWinterDeveloped, Open Space; Pasture/Hay; Disturbed/Successional - Grass/Forb Regeneration; Utility Swath - Herbaceous; Ruderal Upland - Old FieldLyell Carr, Black Mountain: a pasture and hayfield with a log barn, rail fence and grazing cow below the Black Mountains. Black Mountain, North Carolina (Lyell E. Carr)Black Mountainlabel QS:Len,"Black Mountain", Lyell Carr, c. 1890-1912. Public domain. Source record.

Streams, rivers and their banks

Drawing, Autumn Landscape in North Carolina, 1865–70
SummerWinterCentral Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems; South-Central Interior Small Stream and RiparianFrederic Edwin Church, Autumn Landscape in North Carolina (1865-70): a boulder-strewn mountain river under autumn-coloured ridges. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. North Carolina mountains (Frederic Edwin Church, oil sketch 1865-70; Cooper Hewitt)Drawing, Autumn Landscape in North Carolina, 1865–70, Frederic Edwin Church, 1865-1870. Public domain. Source record.

Swamps

View, Dismal Swamp, North Carolina
SummerWinterAtlantic Coastal Plain Streamhead Seepage Swamp - Pocosin - and Baygall; Central Interior and Appalachian Swamp Systems; Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Tidal Wooded Swamp; Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Taxodium/Nyssa Modifier; Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Forested Wetland; Southern Piedmont/Ridge and Valley Upland Depression SwampNamed place / source context. Great Dismal Swamp, North Carolina, as titled by Museum of Fine Arts Boston; nineteenth-century artistic interpretationView, Dismal Swamp, North Carolina, Regis Francois Gignoux, 1850. Public domain. Source record.

Coastal dunes and beaches

Open sand of beaches, dunes and the hollows between them.

SummerWinterAtlantic Coastal Plain Southern Dune and Maritime Grassland; Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain Interdunal Wetland

Coastal tidal marshes (salinity not stated)

Tidal marshes of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts where the source does not say whether the water is fresh, brackish or salt. A stated salinity files the marsh under freshwater tidal marshes or salt and brackish marshes instead.

Winter

Depression ponds and limesinks

Shallow ponds in Coastal Plain depressions, such as limesinks and the ponds in some Carolina bays, that rise and fall with the seasons.

SummerWinterAtlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Herbaceous Wetland; Atlantic Coastal Plain Depression Pondshore

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

Dry forests and woodlands

Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.

WinterSouthern Appalachian Montane Pine Forest and Woodland

Forest edges and thickets

Borders of forests, clearings and shrubby thickets.

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

Freshwater tidal marshes

Marshes along tidal rivers where the water is fresh but rises and falls with the tide.

SummerWinterAtlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Freshwater Marsh; Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh

Hardwood and oak flatwoods

Flat, poorly drained uplands and terraces with oaks, sweetgum and sometimes loblolly pine, wet in winter and dry in summer, but neither a floodplain nor a swamp.

SummerWinterAtlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Oak Dominated Modifier

Maritime forests and thickets

Salt-pruned forests and shrub thickets behind coastal dunes.

SummerWinterAtlantic Coastal Plain Central Maritime Forest

Mountain bogs and fens

Wet, open, peaty mountain wetlands fed by seepage, often with sphagnum moss.

Winter

Pocosins and bay forests

Dense evergreen shrub wetlands and bay forests on wet, acid peat of the Coastal Plain.

SummerWinterAtlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin; Atlantic Coastal Plain Streamhead Seepage Swamp - Pocosin - and Baygall

Salt and brackish marshes

Coastal marshes flooded by salty or brackish tides.

SummerWinterAtlantic Coastal Plain Central Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh; Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Salt and Brackish Marsh

Seeps and springs

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

SummerWinterAtlantic Coastal Plain Streamhead Seepage Swamp - Pocosin - 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 (94)

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

Elsewhere in the South (53)
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Indian River Lagoon Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Tidal Wooded Swamp Summer and winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Maritime Forest 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 Gulf Coastal Plain Dune and Coastal Grassland Winter.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Maritime Forest Winter.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Floodplain Forest Winter.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Tidal Wooded Swamp 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.
  • Mississippi Sound Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh 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 Blackland Tallgrass Prairie Summer and winter.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Herbaceous Seepage Bog Summer and winter.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp Winter.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Cypress Dome Winter.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall 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 (32)
  • Central Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
  • Developed, Low Intensity Summer and winter.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier 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 Bay/Gum Modifier Summer and winter.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Clethra Modifier Winter.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Nupea Modifier Summer and winter.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Taxodium 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 North Carolina

  • Year-round: nests here, in 87 of 100 counties.
  • Winter: does not nest here, in 35 of 100 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 233

Plant genera in its diet records (36)
  • Avena Seeds. 2 diet records. 0 native plants in North Carolina
  • Polygonum Seeds. 2 diet records. 5 native plants in North Carolina
  • Triticum Seeds. 2 diet records. 0 native plants in North Carolina
  • Amaranthus Seeds. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in North Carolina
  • Ambrosia Seeds. 1 diet record. 4 native plants in North Carolina
  • Anthemis Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in North Carolina
  • Brassica Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in North Carolina
  • Calandrinia Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in North Carolina
  • Carex Seeds. 1 diet record. 148 native plants in North Carolina
  • Centaurea Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in North Carolina
  • Chenopodium Seeds. 1 diet record. 1 native plant in North Carolina
  • Claytonia Seeds. 1 diet record. 2 native plants in North Carolina
  • Croton Seeds. 1 diet record. 4 native plants in North Carolina
  • Deinandra Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in North Carolina
  • Digitaria Seeds. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in North Carolina
  • Erodium Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in North Carolina
  • Ficus Fruit. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in North Carolina
  • Geranium Seeds. 1 diet record. 2 native plants in North Carolina
  • Helianthus Seeds. 1 diet record. 16 native plants in North Carolina
  • Lamium Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in North Carolina
  • Madia Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in North Carolina
  • Phalaris Seeds. 1 diet record. 2 native plants in North Carolina
  • Phleum Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in North Carolina
  • Physocarpus Seeds. 1 diet record. 1 native plant in North Carolina
  • Prunus Seeds. 1 diet record. 10 native plants in North Carolina
  • Rubus Fruit. 1 diet record. 11 native plants in North Carolina
  • Rumex Seeds. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in North Carolina
  • Sambucus Fruit. 1 diet record. 2 native plants in North Carolina
  • Setaria Seeds. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in North Carolina
  • Silene Seeds. 1 diet record. 5 native plants in North Carolina
  • Solanum Seeds. 1 diet record. 2 native plants in North Carolina
  • Sonchus Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in North Carolina
  • Spergula Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in North Carolina
  • Stellaria Seeds. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in North Carolina
  • Toxicodendron Seeds. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in North Carolina
  • Tragopogon Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in North Carolina

Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

Also found in its main habitats

Its main habitats in North Carolina, 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.

Song Sparrow uses many habitats in North Carolina; these are its 3 most characteristic.

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Birds 71

Plants 367

All of floodplain and bottomland forests in North Carolina

Swamps

Birds 70

Plants 329

All of swamps in North Carolina

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Birds 90

Plants 1314

All of roadsides, fields and disturbed ground in North Carolina

USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models.

Sources