BirdAnalyst
Species · BBS 2025 Release · 1966–2024

Song Sparrow

PasserellidaeForest birdsMelospiza melodia

Song Sparrow has declined: down 38% on the route-weighted index since 1968.

-38%Since 1968TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →
2,876RoutesSurvey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
58Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →

About the Song Sparrow

A streaky, richly singing sparrow found in brushy and wet places across most of the continent, the Song Sparrow is one of the most variable and widespread of American sparrows.

Size
4.5–6.5 in long, about 0.7 oz (12–17 cm, 20 g)
Habitat
Woodlands and forest edges, including wooded suburbs and parks.
Diet
Insects and seeds taken on or near the ground.
Range
Recorded on 2,876 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 45 states, most concentrated in the Appalachian Mountains.
Family
Passerellidae · Forest birds
Conservation
Least Concern

Notable Song 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 →

No notable trend signals for Song Sparrow. See the full index history below.

Song Sparrow Population Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Song Sparrow is projected to fall about 19% by 2029 — from 10.0 in 2024 to a central estimate of 8.1 (95% range 6.5–9.7). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±9.7%, with 80% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

-19%Change by 2029TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →
8.1Projected 2029 indexProjected indexThe central forecast of the abundance index if the recent trend continues. A projection of the current trajectory, not a prediction.Full methodology →
6.5–9.795% range95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →
±9.7%Backtest errorBacktest errorTypical error when we hold out the most recent years, forecast them, and compare to what actually happened. Lower means a more trustworthy projection.Full methodology →
If the recent trend holds, Song Sparrow is projected to fall about 19% by 2029 — from 10.0 in 2024 to a central estimate of 8.1 (95% range 6.5–9.7). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±9.7%, with 80% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.19662029
Projection of the recent trend (dashed) with 80/95% bands — a projection, not a prediction. Habitat, climate, and land use are not modeled.
YearProjected indexProjected indexThe central forecast of the abundance index if the recent trend continues. A projection of the current trajectory, not a prediction.Full methodology →95% low95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →95% high95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →
20258.57.010
20268.46.910.0
20278.36.89.9
20288.26.79.8
20298.16.59.7

Where the Song Sparrow Is Detected

BBS routes recording Song Sparrow, sized by most recent count.

Song Sparrow Population Trend by State

Song Sparrow population trend by state.
TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →Baseline yearThe first year of the smoothed window the trend is measured from. An earlier baseline means a longer record stands behind the number.Full methodology →Survey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
Alabama21×197133
Alaska-47%197857
Arizona+131%197229
Arkansasinsufficient datan/a3
California+29%1970205
Colorado-13%1970115
Connecticut-33%196820
Delaware-14%196817
Georgia+82%197147
Idaho+74%197061
Illinois-17%1968105
Indiana-13%196869
Iowa+5%196939
Kansas-56%197412
Kentucky+45%196863
Maine-47%196877
Maryland+31%196875
Massachusetts+5%196832
Michigan-51%1968108
Minnesota-16%196992
Mississippiinsufficient datan/a2
Missouri+172%196966
Montana-21%197099
Nebraska+621%196952
Nevada+153%197234
New Hampshire+2%196826
New Jersey+16%196841
New Mexico-52%197016
New York-5%1968129
North Carolina+54%196865
North Dakota+256%196951
Ohio-12%196889
Oregon-28%1970134
Pennsylvania+9%1968138
Rhode Island+50%19687
South Carolina+12%196917
South Dakota+188%196947
Tennessee+16%196845
Utah-52%197081
Vermont-17%196826
Virginia+32%196875
Washington-6%1970112
West Virginia+10%196863
Wisconsin-18%196898
Wyoming+137%1970104

Song Sparrow Population Trend by Region

Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.

Song Sparrow population trend by Bird Conservation Region.
TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →Baseline yearThe first year of the smoothed window the trend is measured from. An earlier baseline means a longer record stands behind the number.Full methodology →Survey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
BCR 2-71%198510
BCR 4-98%198218
Northern Pacific Rainforest-21%1970149
Great Basin+34%1970216
Northern Rockies+23%1970207
Prairie Potholes+69%1969117
Boreal Hardwood Transition-43%1968127
Lower Great Lakes / St. Lawrence Plain-7%196886
Atlantic Northern Forest-21%1968155
Sierra Nevada+22%197331
Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau+0%1970171
Badlands and Prairies+144%196994
Shortgrass Prairie-53%197429
Central Mixed Grass Prairie+426%196937
Eastern Tallgrass Prairie-40%1968248
Prairie Hardwood Transition-16%1968161
Central Hardwoods+50%1968122
Mississippi Alluvial Valley-19%196910
Southeastern Coastal Plain-53%196847
Appalachian Mountains+7%1968390
Piedmont-9%1968140
New England / Mid-Atlantic Coast+3%1968159
Coastal California+135%1970108
Sonoran and Mojave Deserts+99%197030
Sierra Madre Occidental+38%198410

Song Sparrow Conservation Status

Least Concern

The IUCN Red List rates this species as Least Concern. Our route-weighted index shows it down about 38% 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.