Le Conte’s Sparrow—Fairly common summer resident of sedge fields, wet meadows and lake borders, alfalfa hayfields, and retired croplands throughout much of the eastern half. Fairly common in the Kenmare area as well. This rather shy sparrow often undergoes yearly population fluctuations, which are dependent upon water levels. During dry years it is often absent from many of its regular breeding locations. (This is especially true in the Kenmare area.) Some of the more dependable spots include Lostwood, Des Lacs, J. Clark Salyer, Arrowwood, Audubon, Lake Alice, Rose Lake, and Tewaukon Refuges; Kelly’s Slough; Lake Ardoch; and the area surrounding the Sanborne Waterfowl Production Area in [Barnes] County. Of these spots J. Clark Salyer, Kelly’s Slough, and the Rose Lake area are probably your best bets.
Sharp-tailed Sparrow—Locally fairly common to uncommon summer resident of sedge fields, wet meadows, and marshes with much emergent vegetation over much of the eastern half and northwest quarter. Undergoes frequent fluctuations of breeding populations. Unlike the Le Conte’s, the Sharp-tailed is more common during dry years. When the water levels of marshes are lowered, there is more emergent vegetation to utilize as a nesting habitat. Look for it at such places as Lostwood, Des Lacs, J. Clark Salyer, Arrowwood, Long Lake, Slade, Lake Alice, Rose Lake, and Tewaukon Refuges; Rush Lake; the Sanborne Waterfowl Production Area in [Barnes] County; and in proper habitat throughout [Sargent], [Stutsman], [Benson], and [Nelson] Counties.
American Tree Sparrow—Common migrant and uncommon winter visitor to weedy fields and ditches, retired croplands, sunflower fields, and feeding stations throughout. Not hard to find.
Clay-colored Sparrow—Common summer resident of prairie thickets, shelterbelts, brushy wood margins, and retired croplands throughout. If you miss this species, you are probably not birding.
Brewer’s Sparrow—Fairly common summer resident of sage prairies in the southwest corner. Largely restricted to the western portions of [Slope] and [Bowman] Counties. Local populations occur in [Billings] and Golden Valley Counties. Easy to find along the road going south from Marmarth.
If you are not familiar with this species, you may have trouble in differentiating between it and the Clay-colored Sparrow. The songs of the two species are very different and are the easiest way to tell them apart. The Clay-colored has a very low buzzy song of short duration. The Brewer’s has a series of trills.
Field Sparrow—Fairly common summer resident of sage flats, prairie thickets, brushy ravines, and wood margins in the western half. Uncommon summer resident of sandhills and brushy margins of the Sheyenne River in [Barnes], [Ransom], and [Richland] Counties. Uncommon migrant elsewhere. Easy to find along the Missouri River at Bismarck, at Sully’s Creek State Park, and in both units of the Roosevelt Memorial.
Harris’ Sparrow—Common migrant and rare winter visitor to brushy wood margins, shelterbelts, wood lots, parks, residential areas, and feeding stations throughout. Not hard to find.
Swamp Sparrow—Uncommon and local summer resident of brushy bogs scattered throughout the eastern half. Isolated colonies have been located in [Bottineau], [Benson], LaMoure, [Kidder], Dickey, and [Sargent] Counties in recent years (Stewart, Breeding Birds of North Dakota, 1975). Uncommon migrant through wood-bordered streams, ponds, lakes, and marshy areas west to about Bismarck.
McCown’s Longspur—Locally fairly common to uncommon summer resident of short-grass prairies, stubble fields, and summer fallow fields in the northwest and southwest corners of the state. Look along the roads going south from Rhame and Marmarth, in the stubble fields around Bowman-Haley Refuge, in the Kenmare area, in the south unit of the Roosevelt Memorial, the stubble fields of central [McKenzie] County, and in the vicinity of Crosby ([Divide] County).