Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) is in the New World Sparrows family (Passerellidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 22,933 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in October.
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 Swamp Sparrow: observations by month (U.S.)
About Swamp Sparrow
The swamp sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) is a medium-sized sparrow related to the song sparrow.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Swamp Sparrow by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 1,991 | January | Nov–Apr |
| New York | 1,886 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Illinois | 1,622 | April | Apr–May |
| Maryland | 1,526 | October | Oct–Nov |
| Florida | 1,447 | January | Oct–Apr |
| Virginia | 1,089 | October | Oct–Apr |
| Massachusetts | 1,043 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Pennsylvania | 1,014 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Ohio | 973 | April | Apr–May |
| New Jersey | 910 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Louisiana | 698 | December | Oct–Apr |
| Tennessee | 644 | October | Oct–Apr |
| Minnesota | 641 | April | Apr–Jul |
| Wisconsin | 628 | May | Apr–Jul |
| North Carolina | 565 | January | Oct–Apr |
| Michigan | 519 | May | Apr–Oct |
| Vermont | 508 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Alabama | 474 | November | Oct–Apr |
| Missouri | 469 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Georgia | 468 | December | Oct–Apr |
| Connecticut | 369 | October | Oct–Oct |
| California | 359 | January | Oct–Mar |
| South Carolina | 354 | January | Oct–Mar |
| Indiana | 341 | April | Apr–May |
| Mississippi | 258 | October | Oct–Apr |
| Maine | 241 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Delaware | 231 | October | Oct–Oct |
| New Hampshire | 191 | October | Sep–Oct |
| Arkansas | 179 | November | Oct–Apr |
| Kansas | 145 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Kentucky | 137 | October | Oct–Dec |
| West Virginia | 122 | October | Sep–Nov |
| Oklahoma | 121 | April | Oct–Apr |
| Iowa | 117 | October | Oct–Oct |
| District of Columbia | 95 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Oregon | 71 | November | Nov–Jan |
| Arizona | 67 | January | Nov–Feb |
| New Mexico | 64 | January | Oct–Jan |
| Nebraska | 63 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Colorado | 62 | January | Oct–Jan |
| Rhode Island | 60 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Washington | 49 | November | Oct–Mar |
| South Dakota | 30 | May | Apr–Jun |
| North Dakota | 25 | June | Apr–Jun |
| Alaska | 24 | November | Nov–Jan |
| Utah | 19 | November | Nov–Jan |
| Idaho | 7 | November | Oct–Dec |
| Nevada | 6 | November | Nov–Jan |
| Wyoming | 6 | September | Sep–Nov |
| Montana | 5 | September | Sep–Nov |
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 Swamp Sparrow?
Nationally, October has the most observations, with the main season from October to January.
Where is Swamp Sparrow most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, New York, Illinois.