Spizella pallida

Residency: Migrates through the state.

Diet:  Feeds mostly on the ground.  Eats weed seeds, insects, and some flowers.

Predators:  Franklin’s ground squirrel and garter snake are nest predators.  Brown-headed Cowbirds parasitizes nests.

Nesting:  Nest is in the shape of a cup and is made of grasses and weed stems and lined with finer material.  Eggs are 3-5 per clutch, pale aqua with dark marks, 1-2 broods per year.

Nesting Records:

Notes:  Highly social, will form large flocks.  Males will defend their territory against other males.

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