The alarm call of the Sharp-tailed Sparrow is not so loud as that of the Seaside Sparrow and it is not given so often. I described it as a short tsick or tsuck. Females emitted such calls when I was at their nests or when male Sharp-tailed Sparrows came near their nests. Males may have a similar call, but I never recorded it. Montagna (1942a:116) remarks on the quietness of this species. This is especially evident when one compares Sharp-tailed Sparrows with Seaside Sparrows.
PLATE 1
Fig. a. An aerial photograph of the Lavallette study island. One inch equals approximately 375 feet. The area covered by sand has been extended since this photograph was taken. This is indicated in figure b of this plate.
Fig. b. Map of the Lavallette study island. All fringillid nests that I found are indicated and the territorial boundaries of the Seaside Sparrows are shown.
▲—Seaside Sparrow
●—Sharp-tailed Sparrow
★—Song Sparrow
PLATE 2
Fig. a. The south shore of the Lavallette study island showing the two major driftlines and the sparsely vegetated areas. This is the feeding habitat of the Seaside Sparrow.