The Grasshopper sparrow is one of the more enigmatic and erratic birds in Oregon. A small population may appear in an area, persist for a few years, and then disappear, only to return at some later time.

It is difficult to detect, because of both its quiet, insect-like song and its reclusive habits. Males sing from elevated perches, such as flower stalks or fence posts before diving back among the grasses. It occurs in scattered "colonies" along the unforested northern slopes of the Blue Mountains.

The Grasshopper sparrow is an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in the Columbia Plateau, Klamath Mountains, and Willamette Valley ecoregions.

Hear the song of the Grasshopper sparrow

Photo by Kenneth Cole Schneider, Flickr