Grasshopper Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow has fallen sharply: down 52% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
About the Grasshopper Sparrow
The Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) is a North American member of the New World Sparrows (Passerellidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the grassland birds.
- Size
- 4.5–7.5 in long (12–19 cm) — a small songbird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Open grasslands, prairie, pasture and hayfields.
- Diet
- Seeds and insects gathered from grasses and the ground.
- Range
- Recorded on 2,229 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 47 states, most concentrated in the Appalachian Mountains.
- Family
- Passerellidae · Grassland birds
Notable Grasshopper Sparrow TrendsNotable signalsLong-arc shifts the engine flags automatically — sustained declines or increases large enough to stand out from year-to-year noise.Full methodology →
Grasshopper Sparrow has fallen sharply in surveyed states: down 52% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
Grasshopper Sparrow Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Grasshopper Sparrow is projected to stay roughly flat through 2029, near 1.8 (95% range 1.0–2.6). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±9.4%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
Where the Grasshopper Sparrow Is Detected
BBS routes recording Grasshopper Sparrow, sized by most recent count.
Grasshopper Sparrow Population Trend by State
Grasshopper Sparrow Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
Grasshopper Sparrow Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it down about 52% since 1968. Grassland birds are North America's steepest-declining group, down roughly 50% since 1970 as prairie and pasture were lost.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.