Adrianna DiVentura, Belhaven Middle School

Atlantic County

Savannah sparrow. Adrianna Diventura

Savannah Sparrow

Hello! I am the savannah sparrow. Scientists like to call me the Passerculus sandwiches. I am here to tell you a lot of important information about me that you should know. I am a threatened bird because of my habitat loss. I grow up to 4-6 inches long, I weigh 15-28 grams, and my length is 11-15 centimeters. I am quite a petite bird. People say I am a finely streaked bird. I have pink legs, a notched tail, and right above my eye is a yellow streak! Brown, white, and black are the colors that surround my body! Now you humans love to eat, it doesn't mean that us savannah sparrows don't eat! In the summer we like to munch on seeds and berries. In the winter we like to harvest on insects! We can live up to 4-7 years long! When we get tired and want to go to bed we go back to our home. We live in open grassy dunes, farmlands, sub-alpine prairies, meadows, fields, and salt marshes! Wow!

Did you know that I am a song bird? savannah sparrows are known for their beautiful songs. We are also able runners. People always wonder why did they name us the savannah sparrows? We are named after the Savannah Georgia where one of the first specimens of this bird was collected!

We need to be protected because we depend entirely on our ecosystem for nesting and foraging. Urbanization and reversion of farm fields to forest and early mowing are some reasons that make us threatened. You can help me and my tweeting friends by letting us have more space. You should try saving not only us savannah sparrows but other threatened and endangered species. Once person can make a huge difference! Well that's it for now, see you later!

Written by: Adrianna DiVentura
Belhaven Middle School
Linwood, NJ
Teacher: Mr. Eissler