Historic Status

The Song Sparrow has been a summer resident in Massachusetts at least since the days of John James Audubon. “The Song Sparrow, Fringilla melodia, is a well-known bird, very common in all parts of New England…” wrote William Peabody (Peabody 1839), and sixty years later Howe & Allen still described the species as “a very common summer resident,” (Howe & Allen 1901). Its ability to breed in many different habitats made it nearly ubiquitous across the state, and the only question about its future rested in the length of its annual stay in Massachusetts. As the nineteenth century wore on, observers increasingly noted the occasional Song Sparrow wintering in Massachusetts (Howe & Allen 1901).

Atlas 1 Distribution

The Atlas 1 distribution map for the Song Sparrow provides an object lesson in Atlas coverage as well as a guide to the bird’s distribution. A combination of broad habitat requirements, tolerance for human presence, and an easily recognized song led to Song Sparrows being found in almost every block that was adequately surveyed during Atlas 1. Where Song Sparrows were not present in 100% of a region’s blocks, they were often missing in only 2 or 3. The Lower Worcester Plateau and Coastal Plains each had a small scattering of unoccupied blocks; but otherwise the species was widely present throughout every region from the Berkshires to Nantucket.

Atlas 2 Distribution and Change

In Atlas 2, just as in Atlas 1, the Song Sparrow took home the title of most widely distributed bird in Massachusetts. Even with little room for growth, the species still managed to expand, disappearing from only a few blocks and colonizing a few more. Perhaps more interestingly, Atlas workers Confirmed breeding records in 79% of the state as compared to just 61% in Atlas 1. The fact is more remarkable when one considers that people working in Atlas 1 had no seasonal constraints and no Safe Dates to work with, while Atlas 2 workers had both Safe Dates and a mandate to complete a set number of hours.