Saltmarsh Sparrow
Saltmarsh Sparrow has collapsed: down 91% on the route-weighted index since 1968.
About the Saltmarsh Sparrow
The Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta) is a North American member of the New World Sparrows (Passerellidae). In this analysis it is grouped with the wetland birds.
- Size
- 4.5–7.5 in long (12–19 cm) — a small songbird (typical for the family)
- Habitat
- Marshes, ponds, lakeshores and other freshwater wetlands.
- Diet
- Aquatic invertebrates, small fish, frogs and plant matter.
- Range
- Recorded on 14 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 7 states, most concentrated in the New England / Mid-Atlantic Coast.
- Family
- Passerellidae · Wetland birds
Notable Saltmarsh Sparrow Trends
No notable trend signals for Saltmarsh Sparrow. See the full index history below.
Saltmarsh Sparrow Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Saltmarsh Sparrow is projected to stay roughly flat through 2028, near 0.00 (95% range 0.00–0.01). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±71.2%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
| Year | Projected index | 95% low | 95% high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2025 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2026 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2027 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| 2028 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
Where the Saltmarsh Sparrow Is Detected
BBS routes recording Saltmarsh Sparrow, sized by most recent count.
Saltmarsh Sparrow Population Trend by State
| Delaware | insufficient data | n/a | 4 |
| Maryland | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| Massachusetts | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| New Jersey | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
| New York | insufficient data | n/a | 3 |
| Rhode Island | insufficient data | n/a | 2 |
| Virginia | insufficient data | n/a | 1 |
Saltmarsh Sparrow Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
| New England / Mid-Atlantic Coast | -68% | 1968 | 14 |
Saltmarsh Sparrow Conservation Status
Our route-weighted index shows it down about 91% since 1968.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-05-22. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.