The Swamp Sparrow is a stocky, rusty-winged sparrow of wetlands with a gray face, rusty crown, and clean gray breast. It wades into shallow water to forage, picking insects and seeds from aquatic vegetation. Its slow, musical trill — lower and lazier than Chipping Sparrow — is a characteristic sound of cattail marshes.
Best time to see a Swamp Sparrow
The best time to see a Swamp Sparrow is September–February, when about 60% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 22,164 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Swamp Sparrow? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Swamp Sparrow sightings near you
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