5.5 inches long. The Savannah Sparrow has a short notched tail as opposed to the rounded tail on Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia). The eyebrow is yellowish. There is a thin white crown stripe. The upperparts are brown with dark streaks and the underparts are white with dark streaks.
The Savannah Sparrow is a common migrant in the area in April/May and again in September/October. Due to its habitat preferences it is seldom seen in the Forest.
The Savannah Sparrow is a grassland sparrow generally found in open fields with short vegetation. It is often overlooked because of its secretive habits. When flushed it tends to fly fairly high to its next perch. This sparrow exhibits a great amount of variation in plumage geographically. The song is insect-like. It begins with two or three chip notes followed by two buzzy trills.
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