Reports of Grasshopper Sparrows have been constant this Pacific Migration. This small sparrow does indeed eat grasshoppers, as well as other insects, seeds, and other vegetation they forage for on the ground. The Sparrow can be hard to spot because it spends so much time on the ground, but males will perch on top of small shrubs or wildflower stalks in the spring and early summer, singing their high-pitched songs. Grasshopper Sparrows once thrived in the extensive native grasslands of California, but unfortunately they are increasingly rare, and are now listed as a California Species of Special Concern.

The biggest reason for the decline of the Grasshopper Sparrow is loss of native grassland habitat. Agricultural and urban developments have reduced grasslands in California, and many of the remaining grassland patches are too small and dispersed for the birds, or no longer have suitable habitat structure for Grasshopper Sparrows. Conversion of native grasslands to other crops or European annual grasses, early-summer mowing, and intensive grazing have all reduced the amount of good habitat for this species. Read our fact sheet to learn how to protect this species.

(Photo by Dominic Sherony/Wikimedia Commons)