Birds of the Lower Ohio River Valley in West Virginia

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TOWHEES, SPARROWS, JUNCO, LONGSPURS, SNOW BUNTING

Grasshopper Sparrow  Ammodramus savannarum

WINTER:  NO RECORDS.

SUMMER:  Uncommon Resident.  Fairly Common to very common locally (Byrd Locks & Dam, Crown City WA).

MIGRATION:

 Spring:  Fairly Common Migrant from late April to mid-May.  Early dates, 28 March 2005 (singing male) at Byrd Locks & Dam (MG); 19 April (Hall 1983); 20 April 2002 (WA, MG) and 2003 (WA, BD, GR); 22 April 2006 (MG, DP).  Edeburn et al. (1960) cites an exceptionally early date of 18 March 1948.

 Fall:  Rare Migrant from mid-September to early October.  Late August and early September records possibly dispersal from resident populations.  Late dates, one collected on 31 October 1936 (Wetmore 1937); 31 October 1956 (Edeburn et al. 1960); one banded (CH) on 19 October 1963 (Handley 1976); one banded (MK) on 09 October 1970 (Kiff et al. 1960).  See remarks section.

REMARKS:

Fall Banding Data:  one (CK) on 15 September 1964 at McClintic WMA (Kiff et al. 1986).
                              one (LK) on 29 September 1962 at Ona, Cabell Co., WV (Kiff et al. 1986).
                              one (MK) on 09 October 1970 at McClintic WMA (Kiff et al. 1986).
                              one (CH) on 19 October 1963 at McClintic WMA (Handley 1976).