Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) is in the New World Sparrows family (Passerellidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 28,366 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: spring and fall migrant. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Lincoln's Sparrow: observations by month (U.S.)
About Lincoln's Sparrow
Lincoln's sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) is a medium-sized sparrow.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Lincoln's Sparrow by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 10,900 | April | Jan–Apr |
| California | 5,633 | October | Sep–Apr |
| Arizona | 1,424 | March | Dec–Apr |
| Illinois | 788 | May | May–May |
| Oregon | 684 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Colorado | 662 | July | May–Jul |
| Ohio | 509 | May | May–May |
| Washington | 507 | September | Sep–Oct |
| New York | 493 | September | Sep–Oct |
| New Mexico | 447 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Minnesota | 418 | May | May–May |
| Alaska | 408 | June | May–Aug |
| Oklahoma | 370 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Kansas | 365 | April | Apr–May |
| Missouri | 307 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Nebraska | 306 | April | Apr–May |
| Maryland | 298 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Massachusetts | 286 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Utah | 271 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Pennsylvania | 268 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Michigan | 229 | May | May–May |
| Wisconsin | 207 | May | May–May |
| Vermont | 194 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Nevada | 179 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Tennessee | 178 | October | Oct–Oct |
| New Jersey | 159 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Louisiana | 147 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Montana | 146 | July | Apr–Oct |
| Virginia | 145 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Wyoming | 141 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Arkansas | 134 | April | Apr–May |
| Florida | 132 | January | Oct–May |
| Indiana | 125 | May | May–May |
| North Carolina | 123 | October | Oct–Oct |
| South Dakota | 113 | May | Apr–May |
| Iowa | 106 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Idaho | 98 | September | Jun–Oct |
| Maine | 83 | May | May–May |
| Connecticut | 60 | October | Sep–Oct |
| North Dakota | 60 | May | Apr–May |
| Georgia | 54 | October | Oct–Nov |
| New Hampshire | 40 | September | Sep–Oct |
| Kentucky | 38 | October | Oct–Oct |
| District of Columbia | 26 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Delaware | 23 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Mississippi | 22 | April | Apr–Apr |
| West Virginia | 21 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Alabama | 18 | October | Oct–Oct |
| South Carolina | 11 | January | Jan–Mar |
| Rhode Island | 10 | October | Oct–Oct |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (New World Sparrows)
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
California Towhee
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lincoln's Sparrow?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from September to May.
Where is Lincoln's Sparrow most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, California, Arizona.