Diana Voronin, Auten Road Intermediate School
Somerset County
Savannah sparrow. Somerset County. Diana Voronin
Savannah Sparrow
Tsit tsit, tseeeee, tsaaaay, tsip! Tsip! Oh, hi there, I am Sally the savannah sparrow and I just finished a short song. Since you're here I guess I better tell you a little bit about myself. Although I am petite, I am quite attractive. My chest is white like snow. My back and short, notched tail are brown like tree bark. My legs, feet, and beak are all shrimp pink. I also have a white throat and a brown head with a white stripe going down it.
Grumble! Grumble! Uh-oh looks like I'm getting hungry! Throughout the summer I enjoy crisp insects. In the winter I love to eat grass and weeds. The young eat invertebrates, berries, and fruit.
Speaking of young, young need a home as well as adults, here are the homes we generally choose. In the non-breeding season, I choose pastures, coastal dunes, and fallow fields. During the breeding season, I prefer Highland, Ridge, and Valley regions in North Jersey.
Yes, we are attractive as you can see, but unfortunately, as the months progress, you will be seeing less and less of my friends and me. You see, we are dying out because of the loss of our habitats, eggs, nest, and young. "WHAT!" you shout. "How can that be happening?" Well, here are some ways that you can help. You can create a backyard habitat just for us, and you can also watch out for our eggs, nests, and young. When creating a backyard habitat for us, growing warm season grasses is a good choice. Later on let those wildflowers and grasses grow into your habitat on their own. So start growing and spread the word. If all of us work together, we can make a huge difference!
Diana Voronin
Auten Road Intermediate School
Hillsborough, NJ
Mrs. Matthews